The Potter Coven
by flowerchild33
Summary: Dumbledore tells Harry everything after the third task and Hermione is determined to help Harry tackle it all. She finds a unique solution that will change their lives forever. She will awaken forbidden magic and great power that will shake the magical world and will definitely offer power that he knows not. The rating is for a reason. Smut with M/F, F/F and multiple relations
1. Revelations

**Here's my latest migraine driven fanfic. I know that seems strange, but this story came to me entirely during the months of my latest bad migraine barrage when I should have been writing Harmony Bound. I did get the next chapter of that posted before I posted the first of this. I hope you all enjoy.**

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Chapter 1 -Revelations

Hermione paced a distraught path in front of the tall bleachers that had been built on the side of the maze for spectators to watch the final challenge of the Tri-Wizard tournament. Some twenty minutes before, the crowd was cheering as the two Hogwarts champions made a dash for the Tri-Wizard cup to complete the challenge. Then both Cedric and Harry were gone. Only the center of the maze was visible via a special projection in the air, but even before the two champions disappeared, there were signs that this final event wasn't going well. Fleur had to be rescued first and then Viktor was removed while bound, and his disqualification was announced soon after. The cup was supposed to have transported the winner back to the platform at the entrance to receive the prize. No one knew where it had actually taken the two champions.

The entire competition had been mad. From the beginning with Harry's falsified entry to the goblet and on through each task. The entire spectacle was horrid and Hermione wished she could have found a way out of the damn magical contract for her best friend. Now this latest development. She knew the mortality rates on the tournament and now feared the worse. Standing not far away from her were several groups of friends. Ginny and her friend Luna were the closest, standing just to the side on the mid-point of her path. They were holding each other and Ginny had reached for Hermione a couple of times, but she couldn't stand to be still. A short ways the other direction stood Ron, Neville and several other guys. A group of the rest of the Gryffindors from their year were waiting in the first row of the bleachers. A surprisingly mixed group stood to the end of her path, not far from where the judges were in heated discussion with a group of recently arrived Aurors. That group included members from other houses who were acquaintances of Harry and his friends.

From this last group, a lone Slytherin finally made a determined move toward Hermione. Daphne Greengrass matched Hermione's stride as she took hold of her friend's arm. They had met in Runes class the year before and formed an unlikely friendship that they tried to not broadcast for fear of reprisals. Daphne's hand on Hermione's arm made her pause her pacing for a moment as she looked into the stormy grey eyes of the beautiful blonde who had become more of a friend than anyone could guess.

"Hermione, I was listening to the Aurors. They're trying a new charm the Unspeakables have been working on that may let them track the portkey. It works off the runestones that are buried around the country that allow the Ministry to track magic. It should get them within a certain radius."

"But how long? By now they could have been sent somewhere else!"

Daphne sighed. She understood her friend's frustration. Truthfully she didn't hold out much hope on an untested charm that relied on runestones buried in 10 kilometer intervals, but she was trying to give some hope. She was about to respond when a crack sounded from nearby and everyone turned to the judge's platform. Laying there were Harry and Cedric. Harry was clutching the Tri-Wizard cup and sat up briefly. He barely croaked out a call for help as tears ran down his face. Hermione screamed briefly and ran for her best friend, pushing two Aurors and Minister Fudge aside as she did. Daphne and several others followed behind her as Hermione's anguished cry rang across the field.

"Harry! What…?"

Hermione dropped to her knees in front of Harry and took him in her arms. Harry was shaking from shock and the after effects of the cruciatus, but his tears ceased as he laid eyes on the one person he needed the most.

"M...Mione…sorry…broke that promise…got hurt again…and Cedric…oh gods...I couldn't save him."

"What happened Harry?"

"Voldemort. He's back. Got a new body. Ugly as hell. You're beautiful though. I should have told you that a long time ago."

"Really Harry! Now is not the time and anyway, my hair is a fright in the wind."

Harry's hand went to smooth down her unruly curls as he managed a brief twitch of his mouth as he tried to smile at her. For a crazy few moments, even their dead friend nearby disappeared and the universe consisted only of them. They both leaned closer and their lips brushed in the barest of kisses. The fleeting moment was broken when their DADA professor, the apparent Mad-Eye Moody, stomped over to them. At the same time, the Aurors and Amos Diggory converged on Cedric's lifeless form. Hermione was pushed away from Harry as he was questioned briefly. Then Mad-Eye pulled Harry up by an arm and moved him back towards the castle.

"C'mon lad, best get you out of the wind and back to the castle to get checked out. You all can talk to him at the castle after you look after the other."

Harry wanted to protest, but Moody's grip was firm as he was pushed forward. Hermione was pulled away as an Auror tried to ask her if Harry had given her any additional details. By the time she answered him, it was too late to follow after Harry.

The next hour was madness that wouldn't become clear until sometime later. Dumbledore became suspicious of the way Moody acted with Harry and not long after, he confronted the false professor. Once the Polyjuice wore off, Barty Crouch Junior was found out, the real Moody was discovered, and a few answers were found. It was all too late for Cedric though. Harry meanwhile was questioned and gave his full story in the presence of Dumbledore, McGonagall, Madam Maxine, Hermione, Minister Fudge, Madam Bones, and several senior Aurors. Once innumerable questions were asked, he was sent to his reserved bed in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey treated him for a sprained ankle, cuts, bruises, and cruciatus exposure. Although he didn't want to, he was forced to stay overnight. Hermione belligerently stayed by his bedside, wand in hand, threatening to hex anyone who tried to remove her.

Hermione slouched in her chair by Harry's bed and managed some sleep in small increments. Eventually the early morning sun broke through the windows and Harry gradually woke. His shakes were gone and he appeared to be on the mend. Hermione handed him his glasses and he smiled as her sleep rumpled hair came into focus. He reached for her hand and they traded a surprisingly shy smile.

"Mornin'"

"Oh Harry, I'm glad you're awake! How do you feel?"

"A bit stiff. Not too bad."

"I suppose you want to know what's been happening?"

"Actually, first, um…well, I need to talk to you. You see…damn why is this so hard?"

"You know you can talk to me about anything Harry."

"I know, which makes this even more stupid for me to be tongue tied. Look Hermione, I need to tell you the full story about what happened, but first I need to tell you that through everything I had one constant thought…"

Hermione waited as Harry paused and stared at her. She knew he would tell her when he was ready. After about a half minute, he continued.

"My thought was that I needed to get myself out of there and get back to you because I knew you would be so worried. Not Ron, or Dumbledore, but you. Hermione, you're my best friend. I don't tell you enough how much I appreciate you. Without your research and helping me practice, I never would have made it through the tournament…so, um thank you…but, there's something else…"

"…this is probably really selfish right now, but I have to tell you. After what happened, well I realize we never know what's next. I mean I'm sure Cedric planned on seeing his parents and Cho at the end. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I've been having these feelings about you. I can't say I fully understand, but I think I see you as more than a friend. I know it's too dangerous…"

As Harry began to stumble through his words again, a finger on his lips quieted him as Hermione leaned over and smiled at him. Then her finger was removed as she leaned in further and their lips met. This time it was more than a brush, as each responded and pressed in further. His position in the bed made it a bit awkward, but neither cared as each grew flush. When they pulled back, both were grinning.

"Wow. Just, whoa. Um, so...do you…um…damn Potter get it together! Doyouwanttobemygirlfriend?"

Hermione laughed lightly and shook her head.

"Yes Harry, very much so. When you disappeared, I…I just can't tell you how empty I felt."

Harry grinned and reached for her hand. As their fingers intertwined, she leaned in again and they began a kiss that would have gone deeper until Madam Pomfrey's voice interrupted them.

"Ah well Mr. Potter, obviously you are awake and feeling better. Enough of that now, I don't need your blood pressure spiking! Let's get you checked over."

Hermione pulled back, but didn't let go of Harry's hand as their eyes stayed locked. The school healer ran a few diagnostic charms and made a couple of notes before stepping away briefly and returning with a single potion phial.

"Well, you're doing much better. One more potion for the cruciatus exposure and I'll send you on with some bruise paste to apply over the next couple of days. Get your rest and you'll be fine."

Harry nodded and took the last potion, swallowing it quickly so that he could expedite his departure from the hospital wing. After that was done, Hermione stepped aside so that he could dress. Five minutes later, he was discharged and left the hospital wing hand in hand with his new girlfriend. The morning was still early, so they decided to head down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"I know we need to talk about everything that happened Hermione, but first, what about us? Do you want people to know? Ron won't be happy."

"Honestly Harry, I don't care who knows. I know you worry that I'll be a target, but I have been linked to you for years now anyway. Your fan girls won't be happy, but I can handle them. Why should Ron care anyway?"

"Well, he likes you. Didn't you know? I think he's been trying to figure out a way to ask you out."

"What? Well he has some strange ways to show it. Look Harry, Ron is a friend, but that's it. Honestly, how could anyone think the two of us would work? We fight enough as it is now. Anyway, Voldemort is back, that should be everyone's main worry."

"I know, but he was my first friend. He made things difficult with his jealousy early in the tournament, but he came around eventually. I'll talk to him. He needs to grow up and be a real friend. I've got a lot bigger worries now."

Hermione squeezed his hand in agreement as they approached the Great Hall. They glanced at each other just before entering and then strode in confidently together. All heads turned to see Harry's return and then his grasp of Hermione was noticed as the whispers started. They ignored it all as they headed for the Gryffindor table, where a space was open across from Ron. Their friend was beet red and grimaced as they sat down. They were barely in place when he erupted.

"Well, I guess the two of you are together now? I see how it is. Of course she wouldn't want to be with simple Ronald Weasley. No, had to have a champion. You know mate, I can't believe you. After everything we've been through, you go and steal my girl!"

"Ronald Bilius Weasley! I am not, nor have I ever been, your girl. I am not a possession. I didn't even know you were interested in me. You certainly don't treat me like someone who cares."

Before Harry could say anything, Ron stood up, grabbed a roll and fled from the Great Hall. Shaking his head, Harry reached for a pitcher of juice and began to pour for Hermione.

"You know, I can't say that I'm too surprised. And I guess I don't really care either. You're by my side as always and that's what counts."

"He'll come around once he cools down Harry."

"Probably, but honestly I'm tired of it. How many times am I supposed to forgive him for being an arse?"

"Heya Harrikins! Glad to see you figured things out. Congrats on snagging one of the prettiest witches in the school…"

"…and the smartest."

"Anyway, we'll go sort Ronnie out.."

"…have a new product that needs testing anyway."

"He's definitely out of line…"

"…I mean really, like how could he not see this coming?"

"So don't worry about him…"

"…yeah, forget about the idiot and go snog your girl."

"By the time you get back, we'll have him sorted."

Harry shook his head at the ping-pong dialogue of the twins. As they left, he raised his glass in salute and refocused on his breakfast. Just as he was finishing up, Professor McGonagall made her way over to them.

"Mr. Potter, since you are almost done eating, the headmaster would like to see you in his office in fifteen minutes."

Harry sighed and nodded to her before swallowing the last of his juice and turning to Hermione.

"I guess this is to be expected. I figured the old man would want to talk. I have questions for him too."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him as Harry answered her silent question.

"Mainly, we need to talk about why I am always Voldemort's target. Why choose me to donate blood? He has other enemies that would have been easier to get to. I don't know, just everything from the last four years doesn't add up and I think the headmaster knows more than he has been saying. With Voldemort back, it's time for answers."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Thanks Hermione, but I think this may be better one-on-one. I know you would be there if I wanted you to. I'll probably need to vent after though."

"I understand, well I'll wait in the common room for you."

Harry and Hermione rose and left the Great Hall together, walking halfway back before pausing to go opposite directions. Looking around, they found they were alone briefly and exchanged a simple kiss that left them both grinning. Then Harry turned and made his way determinedly toward the headmaster's tower.

Upon pausing at the gargoyle guard, Harry was granted access immediately as it moved out of the way. He was soon at the door to Dumbledore's office and the old man called for him to enter. Taking a deep breath to center himself, Harry opened the door and stepped into the intimidating environment of tall bookcases, whirling devices, and heavy magic that was Albus Dumbledore's office. The old man sat behind his large walnut desk and gestured Harry over to a chair across from him. Once Harry was seated, the room was quiet for a moment until Dumbledore gathered his thoughts.

"Harry, I arranged this time to speak with you per your request in the hospital wing. After you gave your story you said that you had questions for me, but would need a day or so to think on them. Are those questions ready now?"

Harry took a deep breath and nodded as he began.

"As ready as ever sir. Truthfully, everything is still swirling around in my head, but I don't think that will stop until I have some answers. My first and biggest question as always is why me? Why is Voldemort so focused on me? I know from flashbacks that his attack when I was a baby wasn't focused on my parents, but on me. And every year it's the same. Now he chose my blood to use for the resurrection. There must be a reason."

"Ah yes, I had an idea that would be the primary issue. I understand your questioning, but I have to wonder if you're ready? You are not quite fifteen, still a boy in many ways."

"Please sir, I was never really a child. Or not a normal child at least, no matter how much my relatives tried to make me 'normal'. You obviously know more and I think I am due for the truth finally."

Dumbledore sat back and pondered Harry for a full minute before sighing lightly.

"I suppose maybe you are Harry. I had so hoped to give you more time. Alright, I can tell you that the reason Voldemort is focused on you is due to a prophecy that was made a few months before you were born. It predicted someone that matches your characteristics would be the one to defeat him."

Dumbledore paused and Harry sat, obviously waiting for something more. A prophecy was intriguing, but the information was vague. When the old man didn't offer anything else, Harry shook his head.

"Really sir? That's all? Do you know the prophecy? Who gave the prophecy? Is it reliable? Who all knows about it? How did Voldemort find out?"

"I don't know that you need to be burden…"

"Enough! I have been burdened with being an orphan, dropped off and made to stay with relatives who hate me! I have been burdened with fighting Voldemort now three times, as well as a basilisk, acromantulas, a dragon, merpeople, and even blast ended skrewts! I've been burdened with fame I don't want and expectations I tried to avoid! I deserve to know the truth!"

As Harry spoke, he sat forward in the chair and his magic got loose a bit as pictures rattled on the walls and a few devices wobbled on tables. His hair stood on end and he almost lost control completely before a soft trill from Fawkes brought his attention back to the room and he calmed himself. His magic settled, but his glare did not as he stared down the headmaster. After a couple of minutes, Dumbledore finally gave a nod.

"I suppose you are right. I had so hoped to give you more time. Yes, I know the prophecy. Professor Trelawney gave it to me when I was interviewing her for her position as Divination professor. You need to understand that when a seer gives a prophecy, they go into a trance and have no memory of the incident. The magic behind it is ancient. There is a special place in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry called the Hall of Prophecy. Whenever a true prophecy is delivered, the ancient magic records it and places it in a sphere in the hall. Only those who the prophecy is regarding can ever remove the sphere. Because of the nature of how it was delivered, I do believe it is reliable. Of course, interpretation is always an issue with prophecy, as they are never given in clear language. Are you really sure you wish to hear this?"

"YES!"

"Alright, here is what I heard fifteen years ago:"

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...

born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...

and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...

and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...

the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

Dumbledore stopped and gave Harry a chance to absorb what was said. After a minute of contemplation, Harry began to analyze the prophecy.

"Wow, definitely vague. How are you sure it's me? And how did Voldemort find out about it?"

"Yes, as sure as I can be. If we break down the different parts of the prophecy, it helps. There were two couples who the first qualifier could have applied to, two couples who thrice defied Lord Voldemort. Both of those couples also had sons born at the end of July."

"Neville!"

"Correct Harry, your birthdays are just a day apart and Frank and Alice Longbottom were active in the fight against Lord Voldemort. They were good friends with your parents. Sadly, if things had been different, you and Neville would have likely grown up together. So, while two of the qualifiers could apply to either of you, it is the third qualifier that identifies you specifically. The Dark Lord marked you when he gave you your scar. It is true irony that he chose his own foe."

"Alright, I suppose that makes a bit of sense. As much as any of this does. At least I can understand that he may see it that way. So, looking at the rest of the prophecy, neither can live while the other survives. That means one of us has to die. If I want to live, I have to kill him?"

"Yes Harry, I believe that is what the prophecy says. This is why I have withheld it from you for a time."

"Fine, but you've avoided my last question. How did Voldemort find out?"

Dumbledore looked concerned and didn't answer Harry right away, causing his anger to flare again as a breeze started blowing parchment on his desk.

"I deserve to know!"

"Yes, I suppose you do. Please remember that I have my reasons for everything that has occurred. I will admit to mistakes. I obviously should have kept an eye on the Dursleys more. I had so hoped Petunia's heart would soften to her only sister's child. I would take this burden from you if I could. Do you truly feel you are prepared to know more?"

Harry sighed and shook his head.

"Look headmaster, I'm sure you think by some measure that everything you've done is for the best. I still need to reserve judgment on that. I want to know everything you know. I am having a hard time trusting you. I am now giving you a chance to start rebuilding that trust. Do not withhold anything from me. I am more a man than most whose birthdays indicate such."

Dumbledore paused once again as he regarded Harry's fierce glare. He hadn't realized until this moment just how poorly he had truly done. To have lost the trust so completely…he understood now that he had no choice.

"Alright Harry, the reason Voldemort knows about the prophecy is that a spy overheard the first half of it and relayed it to him. The spy was at the Hog's Head pub where Professor Trelawney had rented a room. The spy was discovered though and removed before hearing the entire prophecy."

"A spy? One of Voldemort's Death Eaters? Who?"

"I cannot divulge that confidence Harry. Suffice it to say, I have dealt with the person. They actually are quite remorseful and now work for me as a spy against Voldemort now."

"Great, so you hired the person who betrayed my family? Wait, a Death Eater spy that works for you. Snape was a Death Eater. Bloody fucking hell, I'll kill him!"

"Harry James Potter! Calm down!"

Harry's latest flare of magic was ceased when Dumbledore cast a petrficus totalus. Still, in the few seconds that it was out of control, several objects around the room had been cast about and smashed. Dumbledore stood up and looked down at Harry.

"Harry, I cannot let you destroy my office. I understand your anger, but you must let me deal with Professor Snape. I have bound him with unbreakable vows and he has his own reasons to hate his past choices. I understand that the two of you will never get along, but he is vital to the war effort. Now that Voldemort is back, we need ears in his camp. Snape has already been called back to his former master and is now playing a very dangerous game balanced between us. Without him, we will be completely blind to what Voldemort is doing. Combined with the Minister's choice to deny Voldemort's return, our hands would be truly tied without Severus in the position where he is. Now, I am going to release the spell on you. Please do not destroy anything else. You feel you are old enough to know the prophecy, then you should be old enough to control your magic."

After he could move again, Harry retook his seat and glared at the headmaster. He hated to admit it, but he had to understand his position somewhat.

"Fine, I'll leave Professor Snape alone for now, but when Voldemort is gone, he will answer for his crimes. So, can I ask another question now?"

Dumbledore nodded and Harry continued.

"Next question separate from the prophecy. How did Voldemort come back? What happened to him when he tried to kill me?"

"Alas, we can only guess, although my guess is quite educated. As I've told you, your mother used ancient magic with her love to shield you on that night. That somehow destroyed Voldemort's body, but his soul remained."

"His soul? How? Like a ghost?"

"No, not a ghost. He never truly passed on. I have a theory, but it is far beyond a fourth year student."

Harry glared.

"Try me."

"Harry, I've already told you more than I am comfortable with. I am relying on the fact that Voldemort has just returned and I predict his forces will take some time to gather and strengthen. As it is, I am going to arrange for some special tutoring this summer if you agree."

"Tutoring? In what subjects?"

"In Occlumency. The art of shielding your mind and the knowledge it now holds. I would have preferred that you have shields before I told you the prophecy, but like I said, I believe we have time. I have an associate that I think will be able to tutor you this summer. If you agree."

"I suppose that makes sense. Anyway, since I apparently have a resurrected Dark Lord to kill now, it's not like I can exactly slack off for the summer. Since you're going to get me trained anyway, please tell me your theory."

"Harry…"

"Tell me! I need all the knowledge possible! I am not a child!"

This time Harry was in greater control of his magic, which didn't disturb the room, but still flowed around him in a nimbus. Dumbledore knew that his magic had matured over the last year, but now it was obvious the great potential that lay in the young wizard.

"I am really not comfortable with this Harry…but to regain some of your trust, I will agree with one stipulation."

Harry nodded for Dumbledore to continue.

"You study Occlumency this summer and when you return to school I will test your shields. If I don't find them strong enough, I will remove any memories that I feel are too dangerous for you to keep."

Harry bristled at the thought of having his brain messed with. Still, the idea of blocking his thoughts was enticing. After everything the old man had told him so far, he knew he needed to know the rest.

"Alright, I agree. Now, what is your theory about how Voldemort came back?"

The silence in the room lasted for a couple of minutes as Dumbledore organized his thoughts before he spoke.

"What I am about to share with you Harry is the darkest sort of magic. You won't find it in the library, even in the restricted section. Only a few books in the world even mention it and I have sought those out in an attempt to destroy as many as possible. The magic was originally worked in Ancient Egypt and only the foulest necromancers have ever attempted it. There is a device called a horcrux. Basically it is a soul container, an item that the necromancer places a piece of their soul within. Splitting the soul requires a dark ritual and brutal violence. A piece of the soul is separated, put in an item, and then hidden. This allows for a physical body to be destroyed and the soul to remain. As long as a horcrux is still viable, resurrection is possible."

"Bloody hell. Are you sure?"

"Unfortunately yes. Until your second year, my theory was unproven. Then you provided me with a destroyed horcrux as proof."

"The diary! It had a piece of his soul. That's how he controlled Ginny."

"Indeed. Only something with a living piece of soul could have controlled her in such a way."

"So the horcrux is gone now? But he was resurrected. Does that mean there is more than one? Gods, how many? They could be anything…anywhere."

"Yes, there had to be more than just the one As for how many, I don't think there could be an obscene number. Each time a soul is torn, a person loses a bit of their humanity. My theory is that Voldemort would choose a strong magical number: 3, 7 or 13. Truthfully, I don't think three would be enough for him. I think thirteen would be too many, even for his dark soul. My educated guess is seven. I believe the diary was his first. The shade you described placed his age at around sixteen. I think since it was his first, he picked a more common item. I knew Voldemort as a young man and he was quite vain. I surmise that he would plan for his later horcruxes to be items of value, both historical and monetary. Again, this is based on conjecture, but I have studied his history quite a bit. I could tell you more, but perhaps that should wait until you return for the new school year. Then I think I will give you some lessons in Voldemort's personal history. Now, any additional questions?"

"One more. I know why he has been targeting me, but there is more to it. We almost seem to have a connection. The visions I see, the things I hear. Has his loose soul been floating around influencing me?"

Dumbledore's face grew dark as he audibly sighed. Harry gulped. After everything he had heard, Dumbledore's reaction wasn't good.

"I can see you are aware of my concern. I have already told you much more than I planned to right now. I suppose though that you need to hear the last. This will be extremely difficult to hear. Are you sure you want to know the last part of my theory?"

Harry nodded and the headmaster continued.

"On the night that Voldemort attacked your parents and you, we are still not sure of everything that exactly happened. Obviously his plans for that night went horribly awry. Ever since I found out about your dreams and visions, as well as the pain in your scar, I have had an idea what may be happening..."

Dumbledore paused for a few moments and Harry gave him a hard look.

"…I believe on the night of the attack that Voldemort created an unintentional horcrux. That scar of yours is not normal. I know that no potions or healing spells have been able to heal it. I believe your scar is a horcrux."

Harry stared in disbelief for a long moment. The room became blurry and he felt disconnected from reality. It was a horrible realization. Of course, this was all theory and conjecture. Still, it made horrible sense. How else would he be connected to Voldemort? Still, he didn't seem to be possessed like Ginny. There weren't any times when he couldn't remember what he had done. Maybe the soul piece was waiting? Would it suddenly come alive and cause him to do something horrible? The thought finally brought Harry back to the present as he doubled over and retched. Once he finished, he found Dumbledore standing to the side of his chair. The headmaster vanished the mess and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Now you can see why I waited to tell you. I want you to know that every free moment I have had, I've spent researching a solution for you."

"How do we destroy it? I stabbed the diary with a basilisk fang. What other ways can a horcrux be destroyed?"

"Unfortunately only a couple of kinds of magical poison and magical fire can destroy a horcrux Harry. They were never meant to be made from people or animals."

"So I'm possessed? I'm dangerous?"

"No! Trust me, I've asked myself this and I don't feel you are. As much as I care about you Harry, I wouldn't risk the other students if I thought otherwise. Remember, you are an unintentional horcrux. The ritual was not completed properly. This means the soul shard is not complete and cannot function the same as a typical horcrux. That combined with your strong magical core make you quite safe. I theorize that if we could remove the horcrux, your core would be even stronger once it is unfettered. That is why I continue my research."

Harry nodded, absorbing everything. It was more than he ever dreamed. He still felt a bit sick, but somewhat reassured that he wasn't suddenly going to go rogue among his friends. Thinking of his friends, he thought about his new girlfriend. Speaking of research, Hermione was the research queen. She would want to know about the meeting. She could definitely help, but did he dare tell her anything? Maybe some of it? No, if he was going to tell her anything, he would have to tell her everything. She would know if he held back. He was scared what she would think. He realized though that she had stood by him through everything so far and knew she wouldn't abandon him now. If anything, she would make lists and start tackling the problem head on. Thinking about how his girlfriend would organize the problem, a small smile quirked his lips.

"Professor Dumbledore, I know you are worried about security, but I need to tell Hermione. I know you are ready to tell me no, but she is my best friend and now my girlfriend. She hasn't backed down from anything yet. You need help with the research and she is the best at that. You are too busy to devote enough time to it. I also know that she will be happy to take the Occlumency training. I mean this is the woman who used a time turner last year so she could take every elective. I can't do this on my own sir. I need her."

Dumbledore analyzed Harry for a few long moments, seeing the determination on his face, before giving a bare nod.

"Alright Harry, you can tell Miss Granger, but no one else. Not even Mister Weasley. Speaking of Miss Granger, I believe she has some additional news to tell you. Good news for a change, but I will let her relay that. Oh, please have her come to me when she is ready. I have some books that may be of assistance. And one other thing, when you turn fifteen this summer, you need to go to Gringotts. They'll probably send a notice, but that's your advance warning. Now, any more questions?"

"Not for now. Maybe later."

"Of course. I will be on the continent for three weeks at the start of summer. ICW business. We cannot discuss this via owl, but after that you can owl me and I can come visit in person if you have something to discuss. Now, Charms class is over and I believe Miss Granger is free until lunch. I will let you go talk to her."

Harry distractedly thanked the headmaster and left the office with his head spinning. He headed downstairs and found Hermione on her way from Charms to the library. She lit up when she saw him and gave him an enthusiastic hug, only to pull back when she saw the look of concern on his face.

"The headmaster had a lot to tell me and we need to talk Hermione. Somewhere alone."

Hermione nodded and led him down a side hallway. A quick alohomora opened an unused room and they found themselves in an abandoned office. Hermione pulled a dust cover off a small sofa and sat down. When Harry cast a privacy charm, her face grew grim. Then he turned and took her hands in his.

"Hermione, you know how I feel about you. I've just had a barrage of information and I have a lot to tell you…"


	2. Start of Summer

**Here's a nice quick second update for everyone. I'm going to do this for the first several chapters to get you started. I know it's hard to tell where this is going at first. I can give a clue that the thumbnail for the story has gone through several iterations and is a big clue. Like I've said, the story is a byproduct of work through migraines and I felt guilty that my other story Harmony Bound suffered so I didn't publish any of this until I had an update for that. With that said, I can say this story is all but done and will just be parsed out, so the first several chapters will be pushed out quickly so that you get an idea where this is heading. Then I will space things out more regular. Hope you enjoy. Thanks for the feedback.**

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Chapter 2 – Start of Summer

Harry asked for Hermione to give him time to say everything, which she did. It took a lot of control not to interrupt with questions, but she managed. And along the way, Harry answered a lot of those questions. He paused multiple times during the forty minutes he took to summarize everything, but Hermione's fierce look never wavered. Finally he finished with the most devastating information regarding the horcrux in his head. His voice faded toward the end as he let the last words die out and waited for his best friend to respond. She never hesitated as she pulled him into a hug. They held each other for several minutes without speaking. Just being held was enough and Harry let a few tears fall for the first time since he had heard everything from the headmaster. After a while, they pulled back and Hermione looked at him fiercely as she denied his unspoken doubts.

"Harry James Potter! I am right here and I am not going anywhere. You were right to tell Dumbledore that he needed my help with research. Merlin! The man has three major positions, there is no way he has the time to devote to this. Anyway, you don't have exams thanks to the tournament and I just finished exams, so I know what I'm doing this summer. And of course I'll train Occlumency with you. Which reminds me, I can now give you the news that should cheer you up…"

Harry looked up as Hermione paused. Seeing the grin on her face, he couldn't help but offer a wan smile as she continued.

"While you were in the hospital wing, I decided to send a note to my parents, as well as talk to Dumbledore. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to get your hopes up, but my parents have agreed that you can come to my house for the summer. Dumbledore was opposed at first until I pointed out that with Voldemort using your blood in the ritual, the protections at the Dursleys probably don't apply anymore. He took a good bit of convincing, but finally agreed with a couple of stipulations. He will be arriving at my house shortly after we return to put additional wards in place. Also, he will have an Order member on guard at all times, the same as when you were at the Dursleys. That is of course if you want to come stay with me?"

"What? Of course I do! Bloody hell, no more Dursleys!"

Harry's excitement bubbled over as he grabbed Hermione and spun her around before pulling her into their longest kiss yet. Once they separated, both were grinning and Hermione looked a bit dazed.

"Wow Harry. I thought you would be happy, but wow."

"So, two more days and then we head home on the Hogwarts Express. I'm done with classes now, what do you want to do?"

"How about a picnic? The weather is beautiful. I'm sure I can get a basket of food from the kitchen."

Hermione's brow furrowed and Harry sighed.

"C'mon Hermione, the elves don't mind. They're making lunch anyway."

"No, it's not that. I was just thinking about Ron. He is still angry at us and taking off for lunch by ourselves won't help. I also need to talk to the headmaster still. I want to start researching this afternoon."

"Tell you what, why don't you go talk to Dumbledore? I'll go to the common room and see if I can find Ron and talk to him. Then I'll collect lunch and meet you in the front hall."

"That sounds like a plan."

With a quick peck, they went opposite directions. Despite all the new information weighing on him, the news about his summer almost canceled it out for a time and Harry was feeling decidedly content for a change. When he reached the common room, he found Ron and gestured him up to the dorms, hoping they would be empty at midday. He was correct and soon the two erstwhile friends were perched on their beds, eyeing each other.

"Ron, I came to talk to you straight out and I need you to listen for once. No! Don't interrupt me please! For once, just listen. If our friendship means anything then just shut up."

Ron didn't look happy, but he gave a bare nod for Harry to continue.

"Look, Ron, you're one of my best mates and we've been through a lot together. I know you better than most people do and I know your temper and how you don't think before speaking. That's why I want to give you a chance despite your words earlier. Hermione and I are together now. Honestly, she has been my truest friend. When you didn't believe me about the tournament at the beginning, she never wavered. I know I said I forgive you and I do, but it doesn't erase what happened. I realized in the last year just how much she means to me and I decided to finally tell her. She had the same thoughts. I know you think she was yours for the taking, but it's not like you ever told her. You share no common interests and the two of you bicker constantly. Anyway, now is the time for you to think things through. I've just had a pile of shite dumped on me by the headmaster and now I have to deal with a lot of information about why Voldemort is targeting me. I can't slack off anymore. War is coming and I need all my friends to support me. Now you need to decide if you want to be in that group. I don't need an answer now, but think on it. Think about if you and Hermione would ever have had a chance and think about what is truly important. Not just to yourself, or us, but to the magical world. It's time to grow up and grow a pair Ron. I'll talk to you later."

Harry turned and left Ron sitting on the bed, dumbfounded. For once Ronald Weasley was at a loss to say anything as he pondered what Harry had said. It hurt bad that Harry once again was getting something he wanted. He'd never had a girlfriend and now Harry had Hermione. Then he thought about what Harry said about having something in common. What did Hermione like? Books, homework, studying. Ugh. No, he definitely didn't like that. Hell, if she was his girlfriend, the nagging would probably be even worse. Maybe Harry had done him a favor. Then there was the business with Voldemort. There was no doubt that the wanker had a bullseye on Harry for some reason. Yes, he definitely had a lot to think about.

While Ron cogitated on the thoughts that Harry had provoked, Harry left Gryffindor tower and used a couple of secret passages to make his way quickly to the kitchens. Once there, the elves happily packed a basket with enough food for at least four people Then he made his way to the entry hall. Hermione was already waiting, holding a large blanket. He grinned at her and took her arm as they left to find a spot down by the lake for their picnic.

The rest of that day and the next blew by for Harry and Hermione. Charms had been Hermione's last class and the last day was designated for students to finish make-up assignments before leaving for break. Of course, Hermione had none and Harry was excused due to the tournament, so they were left to wile away the time in each other's company. They still endured lots of whispers in the halls, especially Harry, but he had learned to ignore them. The Prophet arrived on time each morning and consistently painted Harry in a poor light, questioning Cedric's death and denying Voldemort's return. That was harder to ignore, but Harry made a point of not reading it. Ron remained aloof, but not openly hostile, which they counted as a win.

Eventually the morning of their departure arrived with the usual flurry of last minute packing and goodbyes. Hermione was on her way to breakfast with Harry when Ginny pulled her aside for a moment. Seeing the look in her friend's eye, Hermione pushed Harry on toward the Great Hall while she followed Ginny into an empty classroom. As soon as the door closed, Ginny cast a privacy charm and then stood looking at Hermione worriedly.

"Gin, what's up? You know you can talk to me. Problem with Dean?"

"No, not really. Dean and I decided to take a break. It was a mutual decision we made about a week ago. It's been coming for a while. He's great and all, but you know I'm still figuring things out. Look, I just wanted to let you know I'm happy for you and Harry. I think the two of you are great together. I hope we can all stay friendly."

Ginny looked forlorn and Hermione's heart went out to her. Reaching out, Hermione took her hand.

"Of course we'll remain friends Gin. I'm sorry about you and Dean. I hope I wasn't part of the decision. We had a good time, but I told you I think I was just curious. How about you, have you decided on a preference?"

"Not really. Honestly, thanks to you, I got over my Harry Idol stage. If he had asked me out though, I would have jumped at the chance. Still, guys don't seem to fulfill me completely. Maybe I just haven't found the right guy. I guess I just keep trying things out. Have fun, live a little. My mum would be aghast. Hey, if you and Harry ever want a threesome…"

Hermione looked shocked as Ginny broke out laughing.

"Kidding Hermione! Kidding. Anyway, I'm glad we're good. Are you going to tell Harry about us by the way?"

"I'm not sure. I probably should if we get serious. Honesty is important in a relationship. He's so accepting I think he will just be surprised. Still, it's not an easy thing to bring up. We're going to be busy this summer studying Occlumency and he'll be staying at my house, so if the relationship is meant to develop more it will."

"Well, best of luck. Meanwhile I'll be stuck at the Burrow with my brothers, mum, and her summer list of chores."

"You'll have to grab the Knight Bus and come visit Gin."

Ginny smiled and Hermione pulled her into a hug. They paused for a moment as they looked at each other and Hermione gave her a brief peck on the corner of her mouth. Then they pulled apart and Ginny cancelled the privacy charm as they made their way to lunch.

The next day the group of friends reached the Express and claimed a compartment. Ginny stayed briefly and then went to join others in her year. As they settled in, Ron broke the silence that had descended.

"Harry mate, I've been thinking about what you said. I still think you're not worthy of her, but I've decided to accept you and Hermione. And…um...well you know you can count on me for any support with Voldemort too. Even I'm not so dense that I can't tell things are going to be bad now."

"Wow. Thanks Ron. And for the record, I don't think I'm worthy of her either, but Hermione thinks otherwise, for which I am forever grateful."

That caused all the guys to chuckle while Hermione shook her head. Then Neville spoke up.

"I don't know what's going on Harry, but you can count on me too. With your parents gone and no one else to take the regency for House Potter, you have a big birthday coming up. If you want any lessons on House etiquette, just send me an owl. Gran has been training me for years."

"Thanks for the support Neville. I'm not sure that I understand what the big deal is with my birthday though. I'm turning fifteen, not seventeen."

"No one has told you? Bloody hell, you are going to need help. Harry, your house is a Most Ancient and Noble house. House Longbottom is only a Most Noble. House Potter was around three hundred years before House Longbottom. Look, you should get a book on house customs. I'll give you some recommendations. Most Ancient and Noble Houses have ancient rules that govern them. Some of those rules are to ensure that the houses don't die out or go without a lord for too long. With you being the last Potter, there is no regent. That means that at fifteen you can take control of your inheritance and house. Look, I know we have homework this summer, but do some studying on house customs. Bloody hell, I should have said something sooner."

Harry was stunned both by what Neville said, as well as the shocked and aghast look he gave his friend. This must have been what Dumbledore was talking about when he mentioned visiting the goblins. The old man could have gone into more detail. Of course, Harry had to admit that they had even more world shaking news under discussion at the time. Still, assuming control of his house? And in just five weeks? He definitely would have to cram. Hermione noticed the range of emotions cross his face and took his hand.

"It'll be alright Harry. We'll get the books first thing tomorrow and you can start studying. And Neville will help as well. You will learn enough before your birthday and you can keep learning after. I mean, not every lord who has taken control of their house has been fully prepared. You can handle this and you have friends to help."

Harry nodded, glad for the reassurance. So much for an easy summer. Of course, in perspective, it wouldn't be all that bad. Now that he was away from the Dursleys he wouldn't have all the chores to do and he would be eating regular meals. That would certainly help.

"Thanks everyone. Hermione's right, as always. I'll do what I can and tackle this like every other problem that has come at me."

After that monumental news, the friends settled down as Harry accepted Ron's suggestion of a round of chess. Neville decided to take a nap, while Hermione began reading one of the books Dumbledore had given her. It had been glamored so that it looked like a boring arithmancy text. Some of the dark arts it detailed were horrific and she decided to just scan for pertinent information. Gradually the long train ride wore on. During the last two hours, Neville woke and began to explain a few things to Harry about the different types of houses and some of the history of the most notable families. Before they realized, the ten minute until arrival announcement was made and everyone began to scramble to collect scattered books, food, cloaks and other items.

When the train pulled into King's Cross, Harry and Hermione gathered their trunks, as well as Crookshanks' carrier and Hedwig's cage. The feline yowled unhappily at being jostled. Hedwig had decided to fly on ahead to Hermione's house and wait for them. As they moved through the crowds, Hermione suddenly squealed and dropped her trunk as she went running to her parents. Harry remembered the Grangers from meeting in Diagon and smiled at seeing the love of their family. He quickly grabbed Hermione's trunk and struggled over to say hello. After Hermione finished her hugs, she turned and pulled Harry closer.

"Mum, dad, you remember Harry. Harry, do you remember my mum Jean and dad Neil?"

"Yes. Good to see you again Dr. and Dr. Granger."

Neil snorted and Jean chuckled.

"None of that now Harry. No need to be formal. And the whole doctor and doctor is too confusing. We're just Jean and Neil. Now, why don't we get out of this madness?"

Neil reached to take Hermione's trunk as she wrapped her arm around Harry and they followed her parents out of the station. They had to walk a couple of blocks to a garage where Neil had left his Land Rover. Harry was happy to see the larger vehicle. It would make storing the trunks easier. Soon they were all in and Jean began the slow drive out of the city. They managed to miss rush hour thankfully and were soon heading north of London toward Cambridge. Hermione chattered away about her studies, with Harry inserting bits of information as they went along. Neil seemed especially interested in arithmancy and its similarities with certain types of math, an area of interest for him. Soon they approached the small town where the Grangers lived and Jean brought up a more pressing subject.

"Now, we planned on grabbing something for dinner on the way in. How does fish and chips sound?"

"Brilliant mum."

"Sure Jean."

Neil gave a nod and pulled out his mobile as he called someone named Gordon and placed a large order for fish, chips, and peas. Ten minutes later, Jean pulled up in front of a tiny shopfront and Neil hopped out. He returned minutes later with two large bags of food. Another five minutes saw them pulling up to a good size bungalow on the outskirts of the village. The neighborhood was pleasant, with bungalows of different styles spread out on large lots. Harry hopped out quickly and went to open Hermione's door before then going to the back to help with the trunks. His manners were noticed by both the Grangers, who gave him appraising looks.

The next hour was spent with Hermione giving Harry a tour of the house, followed by dinner. The house had three bedrooms, two up and one down. The guest room was the smallest, but still was half again bigger than the room he had at Dursleys. It was decorated neutral in shades of cream and pale green and Harry felt comfortable immediately. The whole house gave him that feeling. While it was as clean as the Dursleys and had nicer furnishings, it had a much warmer feel. Despite the fact that they were eating take-away, dinner happened in the dining room. Harry soon found out that it was a tradition in the family, who always gathered in the evening to eat and discuss their day. It was another difference from the Dursleys, where the sound of Dudley's TV shows drowned out any conversation. Harry was initially nervous, but the elder Grangers did their best to put him at ease.

"So dear, what are your plans for the holiday? Do you have a lot of assignments?"

"A few. Not too bad. Tomorrow Headmaster Dumbledore is going to visit. I didn't have a chance to tell you sooner since I just found out in the last couple of days. At least since it's the weekend I knew you'd be home. What time did he say Harry?"

"After some morning business at the Ministry. Probably around ten."

"Alright, well that's a bit of a surprise. Is there a problem? Why is the headmaster coming here? I should probably prepare a welcoming tea."

"Well mum, Harry can tell you more. You know there have been some political issues in the magical world. I don't think we should go into it at dinner, but the headmaster wants to add wards and security on the house. He's also going to arrange some special tutoring for us in a branch of magic called Occlumency. It's a practice that allows one to shield their mind and thoughts. That will be taking a lot of our time this summer. Plus Harry has some other studies."

Neil traded a guarded look with his wife. He didn't like the subtle undertones to what his daughter was saying, but decided he wouldn't pressure during dinner.

"I see. Alright, we'll wait until after dinner. It sounds like you have a bit to tell."

After that, the conversation died down as each person was lost in their thoughts. Harry dreaded having to tell Hermione's parents about Voldemort, but they deserved to know the risk since they'd opened their home to him. What if they decided to boot him once they found out? No, Hermione wouldn't let them. But what if he caused a rift with her and her parents? He was glad he was almost done eating because any remaining appetite left him. He waited patiently for everyone else to finish and then stood and began gathering the plates and trash. Jean seemed a bit surprised, but thanked him as she directed him to the location of the trash. Once dinner was cleaned up, they decided to go into the living room.

As everyone found seats, Hermione made a point of snuggling up against Harry's side and he appreciated her support as she took his hand. He looked at her and Hermione gave him a bit of a nod as he took a deep breath and thought about how to begin.

"Alright Neil and Jean, I have a few things to tell you about what is happening in the magical world. Has Hermione told you about Lord Voldemort and my history?"

"Yes, she told us that he was a dark wizard with ideas of superiority and that your parents fought him. He attacked their house and made you an orphan as a baby, injuring you in the process. I thought that was all old history though."

"I wish it was Jean. Lord Voldemort's supporters never went away, they just grew quieter and have been waiting for his return. I need to start back toward the beginning of the school year when a special event was announced that I had no idea I would play a pivotal role in…"

Over the next half hour, Harry told the Grangers about the Tri-Wizard tournament and his forced participation in it. He detailed each task and was grateful that they tried to not interrupt him. The one exception was Neil's choice language about Hermione being selected as a prize to be tied to the bottom of a Scottish loch. He quieted though and Harry was able to finish all the way through the details of the final task, the cemetery, and Voldemort's return. Once he finished, he gladly paused and sat back to let them absorb everything. Both of them looked stunned and Jean was quite pale. The silence remained for a full minute before Neil exploded again.

"Bloody fucking hell! All this at your school! What the fuck were they thinking? Hermione, we accepted you were a witch and needed to leave for your education, but we never thought your life would be in danger. My first instinct is to wrap you up and head somewhere remote. Maybe Africa. Hell, Harry can come too!"

"Dad, Harry can't leave and I won't leave him. You taught me to fight for what's important. The pureblood nonsense in the wizarding world is similar to what the Nazis spouted. I have a chance to help end it before it gets that bad and I won't back down. Harry needs me."

Hermione gripped Harry's hand tighter and they looked at each other as Harry gave her a brilliant smile before turning back to her parents.

"Hermione is terrific. She has always supported me. She had never left me and always believed me, even when others that I consider friends didn't. You've raised a strong woman."

That seemed to give Neil pause as he sat down again by his wife. Jean decided to take over.

"Harry, why can't you leave? It seems like this Voldemort is awfully focused on you. And what happened to him when you were a baby? I thought he died?"

"I'll tell you a bit Jean, but I have to be careful. Since you don't have magic, you can't guard your mind like we can. I've recently received a lot of new information and I've told Hermione as well, but no one else. That is why we need to study Occlumency quickly to guard this information. I'll give you some basics though. Before I was born, a prophecy was made about Voldemort and myself. Divination is a tricky 'art' and I'm not sure that I believe it completely, but Voldemort does. As for what happened when I was a baby, he was only mostly dead. He managed to anchor himself to this plane. I can't tell you more, but we are also going to be working on that. As much as I'd like an easy summer, that will have to wait until we get rid of him for good."

"Damn, okay. I don't like any of this. I don't put much store in psychics or any of that, but then again I never would have believed in magic at one time either. I really wish we could just take Hermione away from this."

"Mum, we'll try to be smart about this. Dumbledore will add to the wards and we'll train. Harry is worried about us being together, but even before we acknowledged our feelings, it was well known that I was his best friend. Being his girlfriend doesn't add much risk. This summer we are hoping to have time as Voldemort regains strength and gathers his forces."

Neil blew out a long breath and rubbed his hand across his face before speaking up again.

"Alright, I don't like any of this, but I can see you are determined. It scares the hell out of me, but we'll support you. I don't know what we can do as muggles. I do have a black belt in karate. Would physical combat help at all?"

"Actually, I was thinking about that dad. I think it may. Certainly learning to move and dodge, as well as the physical fitness would be beneficial. Harry?"

"Yeah, that would be great. You didn't tell me that Hermione."

"It slipped my mind until we were on the train. I guess that's something else to add to the schedule."

"Well, at least I can offer something. So, you have your Occlumency studies, homework, karate, what else this summer?"

"Well, I have some research to do on the dark magic that Voldemort is using and Harry has studies regarding his house."

"House?"

"Yes. That's something else I recently found out about. I am the last heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. As such, I become Lord Potter at fifteen instead of seventeen. I have no idea what that means, but I will have to go to Gringotts on my birthday to take my inheritance. Most scions train for years to prepare. I've got five weeks for the basics. A friend of ours from school is Scion Longbottom and his grandmother has been training him, so he is going to help me. He recommended some books as well, so probably after the house is warded tomorrow I should go to Diagon and get some books. And of course Hermione will be coming. I don't dare go book shopping without her."

That comment and the smirk he gave his girlfriend earned Harry an elbow in the arm and chuckles from her parents. It also served to lighten the mood in the room. With all the major discussions finished for the evening, they decided to watch some telly and then retired at a reasonable hour so that they could be up at 6:30 to start physical training with Neil.

Once he was upstairs, Harry had little to do to prepare for bed and was just crawling in when a knock at the door caused him to pause. He called out for Hermione to come in and was greeted by a breathtaking sight as she stepped into the shaft of moonlight coming in between his curtains. She was wearing a simple tank top and cotton shorts, and her hair was down and loose. He sat on the edge of his bed and just stared. Then she stepped closer and he held a hand out, which she happily took as she stepped into his embrace.

"I just came to say goodnight Harry. I'm so relieved you're here. I know we have a lot happening, but I'm looking forward to spending the whole summer with my boyfriend."

"I'm really glad to be here too. Your parents are great. Not that I'm surprised since you're they're daughter."

Hermione smiled and tilted her head down barely as their lips met. Soon the simple kiss deepened as the passion ignited and they tasted each other. Harry pulled Hermione tight to him and found his hands cupping her wonderful bum. She didn't seem to mind, but Harry felt himself responding and knew that things could get out of hand quickly. Reluctantly, he pulled back just a bit and grinned at her.

"This is bloody brilliant Hermione, but I need to watch myself. It would be too easy to forget myself."

Hermione gave a barely noticeable sigh and gave him one more peck as they each said a final goodnight. She mentally told herself that he was right and they shouldn't move too fast, but her body was warring with her mind. As she left the room, Harry laid back in bed and drifted off with a faint smile on his face.


	3. Summer Training

**Here's your third quick posting. After this, they space out more. You should start to get a feeling how things are going a bit now.**

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Chapter 3 – Summer Training

The next morning saw the entire house awake and downstairs to prepare for a morning run. Hermione was surprised to see her mum as well as her dad and Jean chuckled at her.

"Yes, I decided to come along dear. I haven't run since my knee injury two years ago and I am out of practice. I figure if your dad is going to start making this a regular occurrence again that it's a good opportunity."

"So you usually run in the mornings Neil?"

"Um, well, I used to. Occasionally the bug will bite again and I get gung ho for a week or so and then I give in. I used to be in much better shape and I realize I've let myself go soft. Needing to train you two is a good kick in the rear. Anyway, I thought we would take a loop around the village and down by Hurley's Pond before looping back on the Old Track Road. Should be about 3.5 kilometers. Maybe do that for a week and then widen the loop. Sound alright?"

Everyone agreed and followed Neil out the door. They stopped in the front yard and did a series of light stretches before beginning a gentle jog down the lane toward the village. The Grangers each pointed out sights and landmarks as they went and Harry was glad to get a chance to see where Hermione had grown up. As they approached the pond, Hermione dropped back for a minute and noticed something unusual. Her dad's shirt had ridden up in the back and she saw that he had brought along his small pistol. She quickly picked up her pace and pulled alongside him.

"Um dad, are you expecting to get mugged this morning?"

"Normally no, but after everything you and Harry told us, I figured a bit of precaution was in order. I assume wizards can be hurt by bullets like anyone?"

"Of course. And I guess it makes sense. I was just surprised. I see you looking over here Harry. I just noticed that dad has his pistol on him."

"Well, we brought our wands just in case Hermione. It's not that big of a surprise."

Hermione nodded, still a bit disconcerted since she preferred to think of her father as a mild mannered dentist, despite the fact that she knew he had been in the service before university. The rest of the run went well and the early morning cool was welcome. By the time they returned to the house, all four were dripping in sweat. Harry's hand-me-downs were in exceptionally bad shape as the huge shirt sagged and hung off one shoulder. Jean noticed and shook her head.

"Don't you have better exercise outfits Harry? Your shirt's half gone and your pants aren't much better."

Harry sighed as he followed her inside. He hadn't wanted to bring up the subject of his clothes, but he supposed he should go shopping now that he was away from the Dursleys.

"Um, actually Jean, all my clothes are about the same. My aunt and uncle didn't like to spend money on me, so I got my cousin's hand-me-downs. And he's about five times my size. I guess I should go shopping soon. Either that or get more duct tape. These trainers are about to give up…again."

Jean looked down and noticed what she had missed before. Harry's trainers were grey, which hid the fact that they were held together with copious amounts of duct tape.

"I see, well we can definitely put that on the schedule. Maybe later today. I know you wanted to go to Diagon Alley. Since we'll be driving into the city, we can make some other stops."

Harry agreed and the four all separated to find different showers to clean up. A short while later they were all back in the kitchen to fix a simple breakfast. Once they finished, they still had a couple of hours until Dumbledore's expected arrival. The Grangers went to the back yard to work on the garden while Hermione went to work on her research regarding horcruxes. Harry sent a note to Neville and then went to the back yard to help the Grangers with their vegetable garden. Gardening was one chore he actually enjoyed and soon he was happily in the middle of the garden, losing track of time. He was pulled out of the oasis by the distinct sound of someone apparating into the yard. Looking up, he saw the headmaster in his usual brightly colored robes. Brushing off his hands, he stepped over to him.

"Hello headmaster. Sorry, I'm a bit of a mess. I lost track of time. Neil, Jean, this is Headmaster Albus Dumbledore."

"Ah, hello Mr. and Mrs. Granger. How do you do? I must say, your garden is impressive."

"Thank you Mr. Dumbledore. We're getting it cleaned up in no time with Harry's help. Now, Hermione told us you'd be setting up some wards for our protection?"

"Yes. I brought some ward stones that will need to be buried around your property. I can work off of them. The goblins have additional defenses that can be layered on top if you wish to hire them. I will do as much as I can while I'm here."

"Let me run inside and get Hermione. She'll want to watch I'm sure."

Harry left the group and went to retrieve his girlfriend while Neil tried to make casual conversation with the headmaster. Hermione arrived rather quickly and saved Dumbledore from some more trying questions. He then explained the nature of the wards he was putting in place and walked the property line with Jean and Hermione as he buried the stones. The actual placing of the wards took an additional twenty minutes and the entire process was completed in just under an hour. Once they were done, he declined Hermione's offer of refreshments and turned to Harry.

"I am sorry to have to leave so quickly now, but I have a few other things to attend to before I leave the country on ICW business. I've left instructions with a group that I work with who will be providing guards at the house. Just walk to the front yard and stand over the main ward stone if you need to talk to the guard. If you are leaving the house, please inform them where you are going. My understanding is that you had a nice run this morning. I approve, but we do need to be conscientious about safety. Now, the other matter I mentioned I would be arranging is in regards to your Occlumency training. A young associate of mine who is also part of the guard will be training you twice a week. She is a Junior Auror by the name of Nymphadora Tonks. She is also a metamorphmagus, which lends to her unique abilities in the mind arts…"

"A metamorphmagus! Really? They're super rare."

Harry turned to his girlfriend with a questioning look and she happily answered him.

"Metamorphs are natural shapeshifters Harry. It's a rare magical trait like being a parselmouth. Sorry headmaster, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"No worries Miss Granger, you are correct. Miss Tonks is indeed a rare talent and her command of her gifts is superb. She will be here on Monday at five in the evening after her shift with the Aurors and will inform you what other times she is available. She has to work around her other duties, but I told her you were flexible with your summer schedules. I implore you to study this skill diligently to guard the secrets you now hold. I also caution you to avoid prolonged eye contact with anyone until you can guard your minds completely. Now, I really must be on my way. If something major occurs, please advise one of your guards. They have means to reach me. I should return shortly before your birthday Harry."

With that, Dumbledore said a final goodbye to the elder Grangers and then popped out, leaving the four standing in the backyard in silence. It was Jean who spoke first.

"That is one skill that will take some getting used to. He's just there and then he's not. How far do you think he went?"

"I'm not sure mum. I know Dumbledore can apparate between Hogwarts and the Ministry in London. That's around 920 kilometers, but he is an exceptionally strong wizard. The average is only 400 or so."

Jean shook her head while Neil focused on more practical matters.

"Well then, the garden is about cleaned up. Shall we gather the last compost and then clean up? I was thinking we could stop for burgers before our planned shopping?"

Everyone agreed on the plan and twenty minutes later they were set to leave. Hermione stepped out to stand on the main ward stone. A middle-aged wizard named Dedalus Diggle soon appeared and introduced himself. Once he was informed of the plan, Hermione went to join everyone else in the car.

After a pleasant lunch, the first stop in London was Diagon Alley. Harry had a fair bit of galleons on him, but less than five pounds sterling, so a stop at Gringotts was needed. Before making his way to the bank, he stopped in Flourish and Blotts to select two books that Neville had recommended. Then he left Hermione in the bookstore while he made his way to the bank.

Upon entering the imposing edifice that was Gringotts London, Harry stepped forward to the welcome goblin, who only raised a silent eyebrow as he waited for Harry to speak.

"Good day sir. My name is Harry Potter and I wish to speak to someone about my accounts and possibly purchasing some wards."

"Indeed. Please give me your hand so that I can confirm your identity."

Harry did as requested and felt a sharp prick in his thumb. A drop of blood fell onto the parchment in front of the goblin and Harry noticed an unusual glance when the goblin's eyes flicked back to him.

"Please wait here Mr. Potter. I will go speak with your account manager."

A few minutes later the welcome goblin returned with another, older goblin. The older goblin stepped forward to introduce himself.

"Good day Scion Potter, I am Silverclaw, your account manager. Please follow me to my office."

Harry nodded and took to the goblin's heels as they began a circuitous path through the back hallways of the bank. They arrived at a door bearing Silverclaw's name and stepped into a walnut paneled office that could have passed for any solicitor's office if it wasn't for the large, claw shaped axe displayed prominently behind the desk. The goblin stepped around the desk and took his seat while gesturing Harry to a chair.

"Now then Scion Potter, what can I help you with today? I hadn't expected you for a few weeks yet."

"Yes, I just became aware of what my fifteenth birthday entails. I found out a couple of days ago and am going to be busy studying until then. I was a bit shocked."

"Indeed. It is most unusual that your education did not begin years ago. I have a book that will assist you. A guide from a goblin's perspective. It is something we offer to our most prominent clients for a cost of three galleons."

"Thank you. Today then what I need is to withdraw some funds, but I want to verify how much I actually have. Also, I am staying with a muggle family this summer and I want to increase the wards on their house. Dumbledore has already visited and put four ward stones in place with his own charms, but he advised that you could add to that. I would like to know what is available and what the cost is."

"Alright, let's take care of the first order of business. You currently only have access to your trust vault. That is refilled annually to 10,000 galleons. Your tuition was prepaid by your parents, so that amount is for your expenses over and above tuition. As of today you have 9,612 galleons in that vault. On your birthday, you will receive access to the main Potter vault. That includes money as well as items. I don't have a full inventory at the moment, but the gold value in that vault is 5,794,000 galleons, rounded down. As of today, the exchange rate to pounds sterling is 21.04 pounds to the galleon. Those amounts do not take into account any funds currently active in family businesses, only the liquid monetary assets that are available."

Harry took a moment to quickly run the numbers in his head, gobsmacked at just how much he had. His trust vault alone was over 200,000 pounds. His total worth was somewhere over 120 million pounds. He supposed that he wouldn't have to worry about paying for some nice, new clothes. Once he had collected himself, he brought the conversation back to his second request.

"Alright, so how much will full wards cost on the Grangers' house?"

"Let me see, since I assume that the base wards are sufficient since Dumbledore placed them, we will only need to upgrade the central ward stone and then add on to that. Everything short of a Fidelius will cost an additional 6,900 galleons."

"Alright, I'm not sure what the Fidelius is. Should I add it?"

"The Fidelius charm will hide the home from anyone muggle or magical who is not aware of the secret. A secret keeper will need to be named and only that individual can grant access. I hesitate to offer it since it will dramatically impact the muggles' lives. All the other wards will mainly affect magicals, although muggles will not be allowed to cause violence under the wards either. Any magicals who wish to enter will need to be added to a ward logbook. Their muggle friends and family will be able to come and go without impact."

Harry nodded. The Fidelius must have been what his parents had used since Pettigrew was named the secret keeper. He agreed that it seemed a bit extreme for now. The cost was pricey, somewhere around 140,000 pounds, but it was worth it. And he could easily pay it out of his trust vault and still have plenty of money left for the summer.

"Alright, please put the wards in place minus the Fidelius. How much will that leave in my trust vault?"

"You will have 2,712 galleons left. Since you have only a few weeks until the other money is available, I believe that should be sufficient."

"Definitely. I'd like to withdraw 1,000 galleons and convert 800 of it to pounds please."

"Might I recommend a less weighty solution? I can offer you a debit card that works through a muggle bank we do business with. Also, magical retailers can scan it with a simple charm and create a draft slip to your vault. Each transaction has a fifteen knut charge. Normally this isn't available until you reach your majority, but I can authorize it a bit early. I'll set it to reference your trust vault for now and then tie it to your main vault on your birthday."

"Alright, that would be a big help. Thank you."

"Of course. Let me just get a few forms and I'll be right back."

Silverclaw returned a few minutes later and Harry signed the forms for the wards as well as his card. He had to use a blood quill for the contracts, but Silverclaw applied a paste to his hand that healed it quickly. Soon he had his card in hand and was exiting the office. The card was unusual since it was made of embossed metal instead of plastic. Still, it would be much more convenient. Leaving the bank, he returned to the bookstore and found that he had timed his visit well since Hermione was checking out.

Once Hermione had finished, she and Harry returned to the Leaky. With the magical errands complete, they next left to find the car and spent the rest of the afternoon at a mall fitting Harry with an entire new wardrobe. Hermione also picked up a few items and at one point she and Jean split off to do their own shopping.

By the end of the day Harry was exhausted with visions of clothing dancing in his head, as well as a whole host of new terms that he had never heard of before. Neil seemed to take pleasure in his discomfort as Hermione and Jean educated him on clothing. When Neil disappeared to some other store in the mall at one point, Harry felt betrayed and abandoned. In the end the task was complete, but everyone was tired enough to agree to eat out once again. The decision was made for Italian and Harry quite enjoyed the meal until the end when Neil tried to pay. Finally Harry stood up and gestured for Neil to follow him. Perplexed, he nodded and followed Harry into an unused lounge area.

"Harry, what's the matter? You paid for lunch before we went to Diagon Alley. It's only fair."

"And I'm staying in your house and eating your food regularly Neil. Look, I don't like to flaunt anything, but I got an accounting of what I'm due to inherit in five weeks. Right now my trust vault has about 2,500 galleons left in it. My main vault that I am due to inherit is nearly 5.8 million galleons. You know the approximate exchange rate. The goblins also are managing the family businesses, which bring in monthly profits. Look, I don't want you to treat me different, but Hermione is important to me and I want to pull my own some since I can afford it."

Neil looked at Harry with shock as he did some mental computations. His daughter was dating a very rich young man. Suddenly the hundred and ten pounds for dinner didn't seem so bad. He certainly didn't act wealthy. Maybe he hadn't know it until recently. What if he changed into a snob? No, Neil couldn't see that happening. Just in the short time he had known the lad he had a completely different feel for him.

"Alright Harry. That's definitely a shock. I'll let you treat then. You have to explain to Hermione later though. Otherwise she won't let it go."

Harry nodded and the two men left to rejoin their table. Harry paid the tab with a whispered 'later' to Hermione and the tired group departed the restaurant.

Once they were home, Hermione helped Harry carry everything upstairs to start organizing it. Some needed to be laundered immediately and she started to set piles aside. They chatted a bit about the day, which Harry had enjoyed, even if the shopping was overwhelming. Eventually Hermione brought the conversation around to her concerns.

"So, you said that Gringotts will be sending warders on Monday? What exactly are they putting in place?"

"I have a list somewhere. They have to put in a larger central ward stone and there will be a ward book. Any magicals who want to visit will have to be written in the book. The wards mostly won't effect muggles, except if they try something violent. I declined something called the Fidelius since it would mean no one could visit without being told by the secret keeper."

"Well, I agree on that. The Fidelius is quite restrictive based on what I've read. Still, that's significant warding. It can't be cheap. Also, you paid for meals twice today. I know you're appreciative of being here, but I don't want you cleaning out your vault Harry."

Harry sighed and set down the pair of pants that he was cutting tags off of. Pulling her closer, he took both her hands in his. Over the next ten minutes he gave her the news about his accounts. As he continued, her face changed from surprise to deadened shock. Eventually she gave up and pulled over a chair to sit down. Harry gave her a minute to absorb the news, but was growing worried when she didn't comment.

"Hermione, I'm still the same Harry. I just know now that I can buy a few things and treat my friends when I want. The wards are for my benefit too. Please, look at me."

Hermione looked up and was broken from her stupor by the lost look on his face. Sighing, she got up and went over to wrap him in a hug. Her own shock had tapped on his hidden insecurities and she knew he needed to be bolstered.

"Harry, I know you won't change. I was just shocked. I knew you had some money, but not to that extent. I won't argue about meals anymore at least. I suppose you told dad, which is why he backed off?"

Harry nodded and hugged her tighter as he inhaled the scent that was so distinctly his Hermione. She still cared about him and that wouldn't change. Ron and some others may be another matter, but she was the most important. After a few minutes embracing, Hermione tilted her head up and initiated a kiss. As the kiss deepened, they fell back on the bed and were soon snogging as they lay next to each other. Hermione's hands drifted under his shirt and began to feel his lightly toned chest. When Harry returned the attention, he suddenly realized that he was fondling her breast and went to pull back when she grabbed his hand and returned it. They were each moaning lightly as they rolled on the bed and were oblivious of their surroundings until a knock at the open door brought them back to reality. They quickly separated and sat up to see a smirking Jean standing there. Hermione quickly buttoned her shirt while Harry tried to tidy his hair. Jean looked at the piles of clothes on the floor and the scattered items that were under them on the bed. Unable to help herself, she had to chuckle.

"Sorry to surprise you. I came up to see if the laundry was divided up yet. It seems you're not quite done. Got a bit distracted perhaps?"

Hermione blushed and nodded as she got off the bed and she and Harry quickly focused back on the task. Jean helped and soon departed with the first load. Once she had left, Harry collapsed back in the chair.

"Gods that was embarrassing. Your father is going to kill me."

"No he won't. He wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Anyway, my parents trust my maturity and know that nothing will happen until I'm ready. They've always been very straight with me about boys and sex. Mum's first time happened on summer break when she was fifteen. A friend of her cousin, who she still sees on occasion if you can believe it."

"Wow. They really are something. Still, I don't want to push you or them. I appreciate being here and everything you have done for me. Without you I never would have made it through all the shit. Sorry, language."

Hermione didn't admonish him, instead she placed herself on his lap and cuddled for a few more minutes before they finished sorting clothes. By the time the task was done, they were both ready for bed. Their goodnight snog was pleasant, but not overly long and soon both retired to their separate rooms.

The rest of the weekend was spent at home with the Grangers. They had their morning run, but Neil was waiting for karate practice to start on Monday, having decided to have the practice five days a week. Harry spent some time with Neil in his workshop where he was fixing and refinishing a cabinet. Meanwhile Hermione continued with her own studies, reading out on the patio opposite from where Jean was reading an historical novel. The laundry was worked on in between. Later in the afternoon the entire family watched a movie. It was wonderfully mundane and relaxing as Harry got a feeling for what a real family felt like.

When Monday came, the early morning run was rushed a bit as the Grangers had to get ready to go to their dental practice after. Harry held off on his shower so that he could prepare breakfast before they left, for which they were quite grateful. After breakfast, Hermione cleaned up the kitchen while Harry took his shower. He was just coming downstairs when a knock sounded at the door. He glanced out cautiously and saw a middle aged man dressed in clothes that were about thirty years out of date. Shaking his head at the wizard's attempt to blend in, Harry opened the door.

"Good morning Scion Potter. I am Octavius Gladwell, here on behalf of Gringotts. My associates are disillusioned."

The wizard produced a distinctive Gringotts amulet and tapped it with his wand. It glowed golden, indicating its authenticity and Harry released his grip on his wand as he stepped back from the door.

"Welcome, please everyone come in."

Hermione appeared as Harry showed the man in and four goblin warders made themselves visible. They sat down for a few minutes in the living room while the lead goblin, named Sharpaxe, discussed the warding and showed the new master rune stone to Hermione, who was quite interested. Once everything had been explained, the team went to the front yard to start their work. Hermione of course followed to indulge her curiosity in the process. Meanwhile Harry went to retrieve his Charms book to catch up on some reading. A bit over an hour later, Hermione returned to the house to inform him that the warding was complete. She held the new ward book and quill and showed Harry where to add names. She was excited about the process and talked for ten minutes nonstop about the proficiency of the warder team. Harry just listened and nodded, happy that the wards were in place and a bit amused by his girlfriend. As she wound down, Hermione finally remembered a most important piece of information that would make studying during the summer much easier.

"Oh, one other thing! How could I almost forget? The goblin wards will block magic tracing spells. That means the house is unplottable. It also means the Ministry can't detect underage magic within the boundaries."

"What? Bloody hell, sorry…that's brilliant!"

Hermione nodded in agreement. With the excitement over, they retreated to the back yard to study for the rest of the morning to work on their mandatory homework assignments so that they could begin their own personal studies. Before he got to work though, Harry had Hedwig take a note to Neville to arrange a time for a visit.

Before they realized it, the time had flown and it was almost one in the afternoon. After a quick lunch, Hermione had a proposal for the afternoon.

"We're doing well on homework Harry and I think we could use a break. Don't look so shocked! Anyway, I was thinking we could combine some fun with physical training. Remember that I promised you I would teach you to swim this summer. Without gillyweed that is. What do you say?"

"Um, sure Mione. It's a bit daunting, but as long as we stay in the shallows."

With the afternoon plans decided they each went to change and then pulled clothes on over their swimwear. Hermione stepped out to the ward stone and a short woman in her thirties appeared who introduced herself as Emmeline. Hermione filled her in on the plan and then went to leave a note in case her parents came home early. With everyone notified, she and Harry began a light jog down to the local community center that had a gym and both indoor and outdoor pools. Harry had seen it a bit on their runs, but was impressed with the facilities when they got there. After seeing the gym, Harry wanted to start there, but was soon dissuaded by a trainer who stepped over to talk to them.

"Hi there. I overheard you talking. My name's Craig and I'm a trainer. I'm waiting for a client of mine to show. It sounds like you're new here?"

"Hi, I'm Harry and this is my girlfriend Hermione. We're home from boarding school for the summer. I've been wanting to get in shape and build some muscle."

"I understand. A bit of advice, don't swim and weight train the same day. Or, if you must, then alternate mornings and evenings. Do you live far from here?"

"No, just over a kilometer."

"Hmm. I tell you what, I don't have extra time today, but I'm here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Since I'm already in the area, I'll train you both for an hour for sixty pounds a session. My first client is nine on Wednesday, but I can be here as early as seven. Then if you want to swim on a training day, wait until at least four in the afternoon. Or alternate days. You'll get more out of both types of workouts that way."

Harry glanced at Hermione and she nodded to him. It sounded like a good offer and he knew some training would help since the equipment all looked a bit daunting.

"Alright Craig, that sounds like a deal. We'll give it a try on Wednesday and then see how it goes."

A quick handshake sealed the agreement just as Craig's client arrived. Harry and Hermione stepped back for a few minutes to watch them start working and then made their way to the separate locker rooms before going out to the pool. Hermione spent a couple of hours showing Harry the basics and he started to get a good feel for swimming. It was completely different from how he felt under the effects of gillyweed. He hadn't realized then just how much the magical plant had changed him. By the time they climbed out, he was feeling worn and knew he definitely needed to work on his endurance.

They arrived back home a bit after four and had enough time to clean up and grab a snack before a knock at the door signaled the arrival of a different kind of trainer. Hermione had prepared by adding Nymphadora Tonks to the ward book. What she wasn't prepared for was the sight of the witch who was waiting on the doorstep. She appeared to be in her early twenties and had spiked, hot pink hair. She was wearing tight jeans and a partially shredded black t-shirt. She was the most muggle looking witch they had ever seen and they stood in shock for a moment as she introduced herself.

"Wotcher! You must be Harry and Hermione. Albus asked me to come by."

"Of course, please come in Ms. Tonks."

"Oi! Forget the Miss, Mizz or any of that sort. It's just Tonks."

Tonks followed them in and Hermione led them to the living room. She declined any refreshments and immediately got down to business as she pulled out a book on Mind Arts. She then spent ten minutes explaining the basics before levitating the coffee table out of the middle of the living room and instructing them to sit. Unfortunately, as she attempted to lower herself to the floor, Tonks tripped and landed flat out. Stifling a laugh, Harry offered her a hand and soon the three of them were arranged in a triangle as they sat cross-legged on the living room rug.

Tonks started initially with breathing exercises and was about to start meditation when the door from the garage opened. The Grangers stepped in a minute later and were briefly introduced before excusing themselves and trying to stay out of the way. A bit more breathing and they were refocused to start meditating and working on finding their centers. Harry found himself almost drifting off to sleep a couple of times and was feeling a bit dim about the whole matter, but Tonks assured him that he was doing fine to start. They worked for about an hour before she called an end to the exercise and they began to stand and slowly unkink from their positions. Jean strolled in at that time and smiled at the young Auror.

"So Tonks, dinner will be ready in about twenty. You're welcome to stay if you want."

"Sounds good, thanks. I was just going to heat up soup back at my flat."

With that decided, everyone moved to the dining room and began preparing while talking to Neil in the kitchen. Dinner was quite pleasant and Tonks was interesting since she was the daughter of a muggleborn and pureblood. Her father had a lot of muggle family and she had been raised in both worlds. Then she dropped a bombshell.

"By the way, you should probably know since you may see it in the papers or hear about it. My second cousin is the escaped murderer Sirius Black. He and my mum were actually close when they were younger, but she was disowned when she married my dad. I actually met him a few times when I was young, but the memories are vague. Not something I'm proud of, but you can't help who your family is."

Harry choked a bit and quickly took a drink of water. He certainly agreed with her about family, although Sirius wasn't who she thought of course. Which reminded him, he should try to send a note to Padfoot. He kept his thoughts to himself, but it appeared that Neil was about to say something when a quick look from his daughter quelled him. The Grangers had been told the story about Sirius, but it wasn't something they needed mentioned while dining with an Auror.

After dinner, Tonks stayed for a bit longer and gave a brief demonstration of her metamorph capabilities. Everyone was astounded and quite entertained by some of the more dramatic changes. Harry could definitely understand how her skills would be useful within the Auror department.

Once Tonks left, the Grangers and Harry watched a bit of telly before calling it a night. After he got ready for bed, Harry decided to write a quick note to Padfoot. Hermione came in with a knock while he was finishing and came up behind him to rub his shoulders.

"Studying late Harry?"

"Actually no. Tonks' mention of Sirius reminded me that I need to write him about the changes. He doesn't know I'm staying here now. I left it vague, but I think he will understand."

Harry finished the note and took it to Hedwig, who readily accepted it and then left Harry and his girlfriend alone to say their good nights. As their goodnight kiss deepened and Harry started to respond, he pulled back a bit, afraid that Hermione would feel his reaction. She instead put a hand on his bum and pulled him closer. When the kiss finally ended, she just smirked at him, while Harry blushed.

"Um…sorry about that…um…I mean my…reaction. You're so bloody beautiful and kissing you is fantastic, a bloke can't help but respond. I don't want you to think I'm pushing you or anything."

Hermione sighed as she looked at Harry's downcast eyes. He had come a long ways, but his downtrodden upbringing unfortunately still reared its head at times. She took his hand and then used her other hand to tilt his chin up.

"Harry, look at me. I am flattered that I can get that response from you. I know you will always be a gentleman and not take things further than I want. I'll be truthful, we haven't been 'official' for long, but we've been friends for so long that I don't feel rushed. I'm not that experienced, but I know what I want. Can we at least agree to talk rather than remain embarrassed?"

"Of course Hermione."

Hermione smiled at him and they traded one more peck before calling it a night.

The next day was Tuesday and they were up early to go running with the Grangers. After returning home for breakfast, they studied in the morning and worked on homework. After lunch they practiced Occlumency for a bit over an hour before then leaving for the pool. After a good swim, in which Harry was already starting to feel more comfortable in the water, they returned to the house not long before the Grangers. Neil decided it was time to start on their karate training. He had planned to start the day before, but Occlumency had taken over the time. Tonks planned on making Mondays and Thursdays their training days with her, so Neil decided to forgo those days and instead opt for the other weekdays and a Saturday session. He wasn't as sure about using time on the weekend and didn't want to push, but Harry and Hermione both assured him that they wanted to use the limited time they had during the summer as best as possible.

Their initial karate training started with warm-up exercises, including some tai-chi. The weather was good so they opted to train in the backyard. Hermione had trained when she was younger, but had never been consistent and had stopped when she went to Hogwarts, just before getting her green belt. Neil showed Harry some basic moves that she warmed up on, but then gave her some refresher exercises while moving back to his other student. Harry's natural coordination lent itself to the moves and Neil felt that he would catch up before too long.

After karate, the family all settled down to dinner as usual. Just as the dishes were being cleared, Hedwig arrived at the kitchen window and Jean let her in immediately. Harry was excited to see that she brought a response from Padfoot and immediately read it out to everyone.

 _Hey Pup,_

 _I'm glad that you're out of that hellhole finally. That girl of yours is smarter than Dumbledore by measure. I need to thank her, as well as her parents. I'd like to do that in person. I know visiting won't be easy, but I found out about a nearby park. If you want to go walking tomorrow about eight in the evening, you might find a stray nearby._

The letter was signed with Padfoot's trademark pawprint, which left Harry grinning. He knew the park that was mentioned. It wasn't large, but it had a few swings and a slide, and was about two blocks away. He wondered if Padfoot had already been around since he knew about it? Anyway, he would get to see him tomorrow! Hermione was happy as well and then looked to her parents. Her mother could see the concern in her daughter's eyes.

"Don't worry dear. We believe you about his innocence. I don't like the idea of you being at risk near a wanted man, but I also don't like a government who puts a man in prison without trial. I also know how important this is to Harry. I tell you what, it will be easier for you to talk to him someplace private. After you find the mutt, go ahead and bring him back for tea and biscuits. We'll have dinner wrapped by then."

"Sure thing mum."

"Thanks Jean."

With plans for the next day decided, the foursome retreated back to the living room and watched some telly before everyone decided there was nothing else decent on and each retrieved separate books and spent some time reading companionably together before retiring.

The next morning saw Harry and Hermione running with the Grangers and then going a bit further when Neil and Jean left to get ready for work. They ended up at the community center just after half past seven and found Craig waiting for them. He was happy to see them already warmed up and began to introduce them to the various equipment before testing each of their strength levels and then starting their exercises. By the end, each was ready for a hot shower as they discovered new muscles they hadn't realized they possessed. Still, it was a sign of welcome progress. Craig agreed to meet them on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and Harry paid him for the month in advance.

Once they were back at the house, they showered and then fixed a light breakfast that they ate while they studied. The rest of the day passed quietly at home. While their homework was making good progress, they took some time out to relax, as well as take care of a few odd chores around the house that Jean had on a notepad. It was nothing compared to what Harry was used to and he had no problem spending an odd hour each day helping out around the house. The fact that the Grangers' were both appreciative when they got home was just an added bonus.

That night after dinner, Harry and Hermione set out for a walk, realizing that there was an Order member tailing them, but having no way to shake them. They reached the neighborhood park in short order and each took a swing as they talked and swung lightly. About five minutes later, a large black dog loped out of some nearby trees and came sniffing around the swings. Harry held out a hand and leaned down to whisper.

"Hey Padfoot, good to see you. Look, we've got a tail, but the Grangers are waiting for us back at the house. We just have to make an excuse for you to follow us home. Hermione already put you in the ward book."

The dog nuzzled Harry's hand as Hermione began speaking loud enough to be heard by anyone nearby.

"He seems like a sweet dog Harry, but he looks hungry. Maybe mum will have some scraps for him. I don't know if she'll let us keep him though."

"Well, why don't we see if he'll at least follow us…come on boy…come on…there's some leftover roast waiting at the house…"

Harry got up and Padfoot happily galloped on after them as they reversed their route back to the Grangers. When they arrived, they entered through the garage and closed the overhead door behind them. Padfoot followed them in the house, where the Grangers were waiting, looking dubiously at the scraggly mutt. Then Padfoot transformed and soon Sirius Black was standing, grinning at Hermione's shocked parents.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Neil and Jean, I'd like to introduce my godfather, Sirius Black."

Sirius stepped forward and flashed a charming smile as he shook both their hands. It was Neil who found his voice first.

"Good to meet you Mr. Black. I must say, Hermione described your transformation, but seeing it is something quite different."

Sirius grinned rakishly and shrugged as Jean gestured toward the dining room and began to serve tea and biscuits. Harry could hardly wait to find out how he had been.

"So Sirius, what have you been doing? Where have you been staying?"

Sirius accepted his tea with noble grace, as well as a couple of biscuits and Jean seemed only a bit surprised as his noble upbringing showed itself.

"Well pup, I stayed around through the end of that blasted tournament. I wish I could have done more than just watch from the sidelines. Anyway, once I was assured you were well, I agreed to run some errands for Albus. He has a group that is reorganizing to fight Voldemort. One of the first things he needed were some potion supplies so that Snape can get to brewing some potions for the group. In the meantime, I also established some contacts with some less than savory elements of society. Not the most pleasant, but since I am a wanted criminal, they trust me more than the average bloke. And I have to agree that we need ears in certain places. Anyway, I only finished that errand two days ago. I'm back in the old family home now. Albus is trying to keep me out of sight, since there was a sighting of me in Birmingham. I hate the place, but it is ideal for us to all meet. It needs a lot of work though. I left there when I was sixteen and it was bad then. Albus doesn't know about this little trip of mine. I imagine he may find out and won't be happy, but I had to see you. How are you doing? Thank you Neil and Jean for welcoming Harry. And thank you Hermione for confronting Albus and getting him away from Petunia and her wretched family"

The Grangers acknowledged his thanks, assuring him that Harry had been a perfect house guest. Then Harry and Hermione took turns explaining some of the training they had been working on. Sirius seemed to ponder while he listened to them.

"Hmm, well I'm glad you're taking the initiative this summer. I'd like to see more of you, but to be honest, I am sure that my last couple of explorations as Padfoot will get back to Albus and he won't be happy. Would you mind coming to visit at the house? It's a mess right now, but there is a training arena in the basement you might find useful. Also, there's the library."

Harry and Jean both chuckled as they watched Hermione's interest suddenly peak. Still, Jean was concerned.

"I'm sure Harry will want to visit Sirius, but we may have to wait until the weekend. You said you were in London? Where exactly?"

"A bit south in the city. I was actually thinking they could use the Knight Bus. It would get you there faster and the less time you are out from under the wards here or at my place, the better. Oh, that reminds me, the house is under the Fidelius. Here, read this."

Sirius passed a small scrap of parchment to Harry, who angled himself so that Hermione could read it as well:

 _The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London._

Something seemed to settle in their minds as they passed the scrap back to Sirius.

"Here Neil, why don't you and Jean look as well. You won't be a security risk since only the secret keeper can divulge the information. I should destroy that scrap when you're done. Emmeline shouldn't have left hers on the table. Of course, it allowed me to give you the secret."

"So you're not the secret keeper for your own house?"

Sirius sighed and shook his head at Hermione.

"No, Dumbledore insisted it was safer for him to be. In case I'm captured again, it makes sense. Doesn't make it any easier. Anyway, maybe you should explain the Fidelius to your parents."

Hermione spent the next few minutes explaining the complex Fidelius charm, adding yet another shock to the Grangers' knowledge of the magical world. As she finished, Neil was contemplating Sirius' offer.

"Well, I can appreciate the security. And I know the kids would like to visit, but I am concerned about this Knight Bus. Is it really a bus? Is it safe?"

"Yes dad, it's a bus. Not quite normal by muggle terms. Triple decker, purple, and it must have some kind of portkey ability since it can get us to London in a few minutes instead of an hour plus. Barring having to stop for anyone else first. It's relatively safe. Not always smooth from what I hear. I read something about motion sickness with it."

Harry groaned and nodded as he remembered his own encounter with the bus. Hermione had not actually ridden it, only read about it.

"Yes, the bus can be a bit rough in its handling, but the charms on it don't allow for collisions and such. I really would like to visit Sirius."

Neil and Jean looked at each other. A bit of communication passed via their glances and Jean gave a nod before turning back to them.

"Alright, I guess we'll see how it goes. Just let us know when you plan on going. I'd like for you to be able to let us know that you arrive alright."

"There's a phone box down on the corner Jean. They could call when they get there."

With that decided, Hermione and Harry discussed their schedule and decided to make their first visit the following Friday. Talk then turned to more mundane subjects, including Sirius' curiosity about dentistry. After another half hour, he declared it was time to go and apparated away after saying his goodbyes.

The following day saw the completion of the last of the few homework assignments that they had for the summer. Harry couldn't believe how quick this year's assignments went. Then again, he didn't procrastinate or spend a few minutes, get bored, and quit for a few days like usual. That afternoon they jogged down to the community center and went swimming before then having Occlumency studies with Tonks in the evening. Gradually their summer schedule was settling in.

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 **Hi, I am adding a note after posting and then updating the chapter I posted already. I had a review by 'turnip29' that I wanted to address. While I appreciate all reviews, this one was too important not to address directly. Normally I prefer to address reviews as needed via PMs, but with the wave of gun violence on both sides of the pond, I felt this needed to be said here. This reviewer noted that it would have been impossible for Mr. Granger to have had a small pistol in this story due to the crackdowns on firearms in Britain after the Dunblane massacre. They rightly pinpointed that I am American and may have not been as aware of British law as I should be. I do remember hearing a bit about Dunblane in the news, but not enough, so I went and did some research. It was a truly horrendous school shooting in March 1996 that led to new and sweeping gun laws in Britain that took effect in 1997. In regards to this story, we are now in the summer after the Tri-Wizard tournament, which took place during the 1994-95 school year. That means this is the summer of 1995 and a full year before the tragedy of Dunblane, thus the gun laws were still looser in Britain. I would have readily adjusted my story and was contemplating arming him with some kind of knife instead, but I am leaving him with the small pistol instead. I don't condone gun violence at all, but I do support the use of small firearms for personal defense, but then again I am American.**


	4. Birthday Fun

**Hi. Just a quick note, because I really do try to keep these to a minimum. I have had a number of requests and guesses about which witches (tee hee) will be in the the coven. I am not going to reply or say who will be in the coven. I will say that the coven will be set in its membership by chapter 14. I think that and the thumbnail are plenty of clues :-) Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

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Chapter 4 – Birthday Fun

Friday morning dawned and found Harry awake and ready to go before everyone else. As soon as they did their morning run, some weight exercises, and then had breakfast, he and Hermione would be making their trip to visit Sirius. When Hermione first appeared that morning and greeted him with their usual kiss, she just smiled at his enthusiasm. It was good to see a bit of boyish energy break through his regular worries.

After the run with the Grangers, they continued on to the community center and did some of the exercises Craig had given them. After returning home for showers and a quick breakfast, they stepped outside and Harry raised his wand to summon the Knight Bus. As soon as it appeared, Hermione gasped at the screeching monstrosity that settled in front of them. Harry couldn't help but laugh, reading about it really couldn't prepare someone for the Knight Bus. When they climbed on, they found it in a daytime arrangement where the beds were replaced with sofas and wingback chairs. Only one other person was currently onboard, an old witch who never looked up from her knitting. Harry told Stan the name of the park that Sirius said was across the street on Grimmauld Place. Then he quickly took a seat next to Hermione on a sofa that began to slide as the bus took off again. It wasn't long before Hermione had her face buried in Harry's chest, waiting for the journey to be over. Thankfully, their stop was first and a mere six minutes later, they were deposited at the small park that faced a number of brownstone style homes.

Their first stop after arriving was on the corner to make a call to the Grangers' practice to let them know they had arrived. They then walked down the block and looked first at number 11 before letting their eyes slide right. As their focus shifted, the buildings seemed to move and number 12 appeared before them. Both stood in shock for a moment before stepping across the road and up the steps to knock on the dark ebony door. Harry decided to forgo the knocker, which was shaped like a rather grotesque snake. A minute later, the door swung open and Sirius' voice welcomed them, even though he wasn't visible. As soon as they were in, he waved off his disillusion charm and greeted them quietly as he led them down a long, grimy hall toward the sitting room. Looking around, Harry tried not to touch anything. The dark wallpaper was peeling and looked like it would disintegrate into dust sometime soon. The wood paneling didn't look like it had been cleaned in a century. As they followed, Sirius gestured for them to be quiet. Unsure why, they complied.

Once they reached the sitting room, they were glad to see that at least one room had been cleaned somewhat. Still, the sofa they sat on was anything but comfortable as old springs threatened to escape the moth eaten dark green fabric. Sirius looked pleased though as he regarded them.

"I'm so happy you're here! This place is gloomy enough with visitors. Being here alone is dreadful. Buckbeak is upstairs, but it's not the same. I'll show you around in a minute, but I needed to get you out of the hallway for a warning first. You must remain quiet in the hall and on the stairs. There is a picture of my not so dear mother that is covered and sleeping. You don't want to wake her. I didn't find her pleasant when she was alive and her painting is only worse. Also, there is a house elf named Kreacher wandering around. Do your best to ignore him. He doesn't do much, but Albus is afraid he knows too much for me to just let him go. Finally, I've been working on cleaning up a bit, but be cautious of any trinkets and artifacts you find. I don't care what you touch, but some of it could be dangerous. I think you can tell by the surroundings just how dark my family was. Oh, when you decide to explore the library Hermione, I would like to be there to check over any books first in case they have latent curses or such. What exactly did you want to study?"

Hermione took a moment to absorb everything before glancing at Harry. When Sirius had visited a couple of days previous, Harry had decided to hold off on telling him about the prophecy and horcruxes. If Hermione wanted to research the dark artifacts, Sirius would want to know why. Harry gave her a quick nod and turned back to his godfather.

"Sirius, I have some disturbing information to tell you. Dumbledore has been keeping a lot from me, but I finally insisted he tell me after the tournament and Voldemort's return. So far, the two of us and the Grangers are the only ones who know. You deserve to know also, but it can't go further."

"Of course Harry. That's rather ominous, but my oath as your godfather binds me to keep your secrets."

Harry nodded and leaned a bit against Hermione as he once again began to pass on the information that Dumbledore had recently given him. Sirius barely managed to remain in his seat, squirming as his face showed a range of emotions as he continued to listen. When Harry finished, Sirius finally lost his control and shot out of his seat.

"That egotistical bloody wanker! And I don't mean Voldemort, although I suppose he applies too. Fuck! And it's too early to drink. Bloody tempting though. Gods Harry, I can't believe he kept all this from you until you had to take it all in one dump. I'm proud of how well you're holding together. Much better than I would. Alright, well the Black library is at your disposal. I hate to say it, but if anyone would know about those bloody horrible things, it would be my family."

Harry stood and looked his godfather in the eye as Sirius came over and clapped his hands on Harry's shoulders before pulling him into a hug.

"I'm here now Harry. Whatever I need to do to get you through this, I'll do it."

Hermione stood and joined them, wrapping an arm around Harry's back.

"WE'RE here for you Harry."

Harry basked in the love that surrounded him despite the dark surroundings. When Sirius released him, he led them out to the hall to begin a full house tour. The house was long and narrow, but quite high and bigger than it initially seemed. All of the interior was equally dreary and run down though. Harry felt for Sirius having to stay there. At least it was better than a cave, barely. He was especially excited when Sirius reached the training room in the basement. The room was equipped with spell dampening on the walls, as well as magical training dummies. The Fidelius offered shielding from the Ministry as well, which would make it an ideal place to train over the summer. Sirius eagerly agreed to help.

Once they reached the second floor, Sirius showed them the large library and Hermione was almost instantly lost as she floated around, glancing between shelves. Her hand hovered near one book when Sirius interjected himself.

"Remember our agreement. Tell me what book you want to look at and I'll run some tests and check it over first."

Hermione nodded and turned back to Harry. Seeing that Sirius wasn't yet done, she allowed herself to be shown the rest of the house. On the third floor, in the room that used to belong to Sirius' mother, they found Buckbeak nesting. Harry found it funny that the room was his choice for the hippogryph. Sirius' mother must have been worse than Aunt Petunia. After saying hello to Buckbeak, they soon finished the tour as Sirius turned to them.

"So, what's the plan? How long can you stay?"

"Well, we were going swimming this afternoon, but we can stay a few hours. I'd like to see the library of course."

"No surprise there. I think I'll practice down in the training room if that's alright? Once Hermione has her reading material selected and is safe, could you join me Sirius?"

Sirius nodded at the plan as they made their way downstairs. He and Hermione stopped at the library, while Harry continued on down to the basement. Hermione spent three quarters of an hour surveying the book collection and making a few selections with Sirius' help. One book emitted a strange green haze and Sirius immediately set it aside and put a stasis charm over it. Still, Hermione ended up with four books to keep her occupied and promised to not touch anything else without help. Seeing the one book now under stasis was enough of a warning. With Hermione content, Sirius happily trotted downstairs to join Harry in the training room.

After a couple of hours, both Harry and Sirius were hot, sweaty and hungry. Sirius took the lead in the kitchen to make some sandwiches while Harry went to retrieve his girlfriend. Hermione wasn't initially happy to be disturbed, but a gentle kiss from Harry, combined with her own growling stomach, soon changed her mind.

After lunch, the threesome all returned to the library and Harry and Sirius found some books as well. Around three, Hermione declared that they needed to get back. After discussions with Sirius, they decided on a schedule of visits to include Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. The Order met on Wednesdays and were often in on Saturdays a lot. Combined with the rest of their trainings, the days seemed best. To avoid the Knight Bus, Sirius apparated them back to the Grangers' back yard from the back garden of Grimmauld. With a schedule now set, he would pick them up at nine each morning on the scheduled days. Hermione was quite happy to leave her singular Knight Bus experience as her last if possible.

Once they were back at the Grangers, they made their way to the community center for a swim before returning back in time to start dinner.

Over the next week their schedule became completely normal as they alternated weight training, swimming, karate, occlumency, and defensive training. Mixed in was a bit of reading, as well as chores, and a healthy mix of laying around and watching the telly or napping in the back yard. The summer was turning out productive, as well as peaceful and Harry was content for a time.

While the summer was progressing with their various training, Hermione was not as happy with the progression of her relationship with Harry. Not that there was anything really wrong, but he was always quite cautious with her. She realized a lot of it was due to his upbringing, but still it was frustrating. As the third week of summer began, they were curled up on the sofa one rainy afternoon and had begun a good snog when Harry suddenly realized that he had his hand up her shirt and yanked it away forcefully. Moaning, Hermione pulled back with a scowl.

"You can put that back Harry. I was fine."

"But I was touching your…your…"

"Breast? Yes you were and I was quite enjoying it. Harry, we haven't been dating long, but we've been best friends for years and I am ready to make some steps in our relationship. It's healthy."

With that, Hermione grabbed both his hands and placed them on her breasts. She knew she wasn't as well endowed as some, but she had grown over the previous year and was at least not flat chested. Harry groaned and began to massage her as they started kissing again. When Hermione's nipples reached full hardness, she groaned as his fingers traced over them. After a few more minutes, she gave in and yanked her t-shirt off. She had foregone a bra and now laid bare chested against Harry, who stared in shock. When he recovered his speech, he redeemed himself with his comment.

"Gods Hermione, you're beautiful."

"Well, I'm alright. I don't have what Lavender does…"

As she spoke, Harry reached out and cupped one breast, grinning as he did so.

"You're perfect. They fit in my hands perfectly. Can I…would you…I mean…can I kiss one?"

Hermione smiled and nodded as Harry leaned in and planted a safe kiss on her left breast. Unable to hold back, his tongue flicked out across the nipple and Hermione gave a low moan. Harry backed off suddenly and looked up at her.

"Stop worrying Harry! That was nice. Very nice. I like my breasts played with and sucked on. It makes me even more randy."

"You do? So you've done this? Not that I mind…but…I don't know what…"

Hermione placed a finger on his lips to quiet him.

"Before we go further Harry, and I am fine with continuing, let's be truthful with each other. I don't think you've dated anyone else, except Yule Ball?"

"No. And the ball was a nightmare. Ron and I need to apologize to Padma and Parvati. I know you and Viktor were quite friendly. I'm glad he was good to you."

"Yes, Viktor was kind, but we didn't do much beyond a few kisses. He wanted more, but I just didn't feel the connection. He wanted me to come to Bulgaria over the summer, but I declined. We're just friends. He's the only guy I've really dated, but…well, I have experimented some."

Harry appeared a bit puzzled, while also still being a bit preoccupied with the view. As he thought for a moment, realization suddenly crossed his face.

"Wait, do girls do that? I mean, can you? Um, well, we call it wanking, but I'm not sure what you would call it."

Smiling with a slight shake of her head at her naïve boyfriend, Hermione tried not to chuckle.

"It's called masturbating, and yes, girls do it. Especially if a girl has a hot best friend who doesn't seem to realize she's a girl. There's something else you need to know. I wasn't the only girl to need some relief and occasionally girls will get together."

Harry's eyes popped out with her comment as his brain appeared to short circuit. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

"Are you alright with that Harry? It was just a passing thing. It isn't something I plan on continuing now that we're together."

"Um…yeah…okay Hermione. So you like girls too?"

"I'm not sure Harry. Look, this is all new to me also. I enjoyed what I had and the relief it provided, but I am happier here with you now. Although, I would be happier if we continued exploring."

Harry just nodded as Hermione reached forward and pulled his shirt off as well, running her fingers through the down thatch that was just starting to develop on his chest. His muscles were already more defined than they had been at the start of summer and she looked forward to seeing what the training, as well as proper nutrition over the summer, would do for him. Then he leaned over her again and began to lavish attention on her breasts for a few more minutes before resuming a snog with their bare chests pressed together She could feel his arousal, but he didn't take things further and she was happy for the progress they were making.

The next couple of weeks seemed to breeze by. During his third week at the Grangers, Harry had switched from just reading about his house duties to working with Neville on more practical studies. His summer had gotten surprisingly busy and they only managed an occasional afternoon together, but Harry felt like he wouldn't be completely at a loss when his birthday arrived.

While their studies continued, both Harry and Hermione did take time out to relax over the summer. They took trips out to the small village nearby for lunch dates and Harry enjoyed buying fresh flowers for his girlfriend at the small market. A couple of times they caught a muggle bus to a nearby town to go to a movie. Often they could be found just lying together out back on a picnic blanket or inside snuggling on a sofa. They talked for hours and Harry finally detailed some of his own horrific childhood, while Hermione detailed her own struggles growing up as a much-loved, but also extremely intelligent child. Often their talks would include small kisses that would develop into longer snogs and Harry became more comfortable as Hermione let his hands wander more, as her own did. They never went too far, but Hermione felt herself getting a bit frustrated and started to plan on moving things forward. If Harry's frequent arousals that she could feel, as well as his regular showers were any indication, she knew he wouldn't object.

While Harry's studies focused on the history of Ancient and Noble houses, Hermione continued looking for solutions to the horcrux problems. She found a few references within the Black library and the week before Harry's birthday she thought she might have made a discovery. What she found was a bit unnerving though and she needed more time to contemplate the possibility. With her thoughts still churning, she decided to take one tentative step and include it as part of the planning for Harry's birthday.

Jean wholeheartedly agreed with Hermione that Harry's upcoming birthday should be a big party. Normally seventeen was the big birthday, but for him, it would be his fifteenth. In 1995, his birthday was on a Monday, so they decided to celebrate on the Sunday the day before. That day would also be Neville's actual birthday and Hermione began corresponding with Augusta Longbottom about including his celebration with Harry's. The plan for the day was to have an official luncheon at one, including Augusta and some other elder Longbottoms, as well as the Grangers. Then the adults would leave the teenagers alone for an afternoon of games, followed by pizza and a movie in the evening as a treat for the purebloods especially. The guys were too old for themes, but Hermione and Jean made a trip to Diagon with help from Tonks, who apparated them. They stocked up on magical, self-sticking streamers in a variety of color and light effects, as well as balloons that would occasionally explode with confetti. Hermione assured her mother that magic could clean it all up easily in the end. Once food and the cakes were arranged, Hermione then just had to contemplate the guest list and send the invitations.

The big day arrived and Hermione was up early as usual. Normally they didn't run on Sundays, but she still had a lot to do. Harry's actual birthday would be busy at Gringotts and her parents had to work, so her first task was to make his birthday breakfast. She was the first downstairs and she immediately started mixing a batch of waffles, per her dad's famous recipe. The mix had to rest for a bit after and she then began collecting the other items for breakfast. By the time her parents appeared, she was more than half done. They offered to take over briefly while she went to wake the birthday boy.

She practically skipped upstairs to the guest room, pausing after a quick knock and opening the door. Harry was still asleep, his hair was a mess and he looked adorable and peaceful. Taking a moment to enjoy the view, she then stepped over and kissed his cheek. It took two more kisses, before he gradually woke and smiled up at her.

"Happy almost birthday Harry. Breakfast will be ready in about fifteen."

Harry smiled and grabbed his wand. After a quick freshening charm, he pulled her close for another kiss. Hermione was losing herself when she pulled back and lightly hit him on the arm.

"Now behave! I have to go finish your breakfast."

Harry chuckled and let her go as he roused himself and headed for a quick shower. He was downstairs just as the last waffles were finishing. Looking at the spread, he grinned.

"Wow, this looks delicious. Thanks Mione."

She grinned and came around to kiss him as she handed him a plate and he moved down the counter to start filling it. He ended up coming back for seconds and was appreciative throughout.

Once breakfast was complete, the Grangers sent them to the backyard to relax while they cleaned up. Harry was happy to lay on the freshly mown grass under a tree and chat with his girlfriend on the pleasant, summer morning. After a while, they began to doze, but Hermione caught herself and carefully separated from Harry. She left him to continue napping while she began decorating the patio. Neil had left for the grocery to pick up lunch supplies and cakes. Hermione had investigated magical cakes, but unless it was for a wedding or a child's birthday, there wasn't much that was special or different from muggle cakes.

When Harry woke from his nap and sat up, he was shocked at the transformation of the patio. All of the stored patio chairs had been brought out, as well as additional tables and chairs that had been borrowed from friends. The entire pergola was festooned with streamers and bright colored balloons hovered from ground level to eye level. They were all obviously magical and he was amazed, although a bit perplexed. Hermione saw his look and laughed.

"The wards provide a muggle notice-me-not charm to the grounds Harry. Anything unusual isn't recognized. You like?"

"It's brilliant. Wow. What time is it?"

"Ooh, it's 12:20. Guests will be here before long."

"I'll go get changed."

Harry arrived back ten minutes later, having discarded the sweat pants and t-shirt in favor of khaki shorts and a polo shirt. He was comfortable and casual, while still looking a bit more 'dressed up'. His arrival was just in time as a pop in the backyard signaled the arrival of Arthur and Molly Weasley with Ron and Ginny. Arthur left a moment later and returned with the twins. Soon the arrivals started flooding into the back yard, as well as arriving via the Knight Bus at the front door. Harry was surprised to find not just Gryffindors, but representatives from other houses, and not just their year. Hermione even had two Slytherin friends from her Runes class invited. That caused Ron to bluster for a bit, but Harry soon set him right. Daphne and Tracey seemed pleasant enough and they were friends of Hermione's. Neville and his Gran arrived just minutes before two Longbottom great uncles and a great aunt. It appeared he had no other family under the age of sixty.

By shortly after one, everyone who was expected was in place and most everyone had drinks and had started to mingle a bit when Jean called everyone to eat. Neil had been busy with his grill and offered up hamburgers and hot dogs to go with the platters and salads from the grocery. Jean had worried about having enough with so many teenagers to feed and had ended up planning more than enough food. Despite his large breakfast, Harry found himself going back for seconds. He sat at a round table with Hermione, Daphne, Seamus, Luna, and Colin. He enjoyed the chance to get to know Daphne and Luna, who he had only seen in passing. Colin was also quite different in a more muggle environment, where he seemed to relax a bit. As everyone ate, the pleasant atmosphere was punctuated by the occasional balloon floating by and deciding to shower a group in confetti. Thankfully, Jean's fears were unfounded regarding the mess since the confetti disappeared after about a half minute.

After lunch, the two birthday boys were put at a table in the middle and began to open their gifts. Hermione had made a point in the invitations to note that gifts weren't needed, but a few still brought them. Family members gave more personal items, whereas for the most part friends gifted sweets to Neville and Harry. Once the gifts were finished, Jean and Augusta carried out the two cakes, each alight, as the entire group sang to both of them. Looking over at Neville, Harry gave a nod and they leaned in at the same time and simultaneously extinguished the cakes. Neville had his preferred chocolate, while Harry had his vanilla with custard filled. The two options gave everyone a choice and a number of people, including the birthday boys, opted for some of both.

With everyone suitably stuffed, the adults went inside while Hermione and a few others began to setup games. The day was quite hot with everyone ready to cool down and Hermione had found the perfect solution in a magical toy store. It was a lot like a muggle slip and slide, except longer and with built in aguamenti and cushioning charms. It also ended at a portable, two foot deep pond, ensuring everyone would get plenty wet. The setup went quickly and surprisingly Neville volunteered to go first as he went running and hit the twelve meter sheet of wetness. He screamed as he slid before landing with a splash. Standing up in the pond, he gave a whoop as everyone cheered. Harry went next and then almost everyone else followed.

After an hour or so of wet fun, Hermione's next game was fully muggle, although she had taken four sets and combined them into a quadruple sized Twister mat. The size allowed everyone to play and hilarity ensued, aided by the fact that everyone was still quite wet. At one point they were making enough noise that the adults came out to watch. Tonks seemed torn until Fred grabbed her and pulled her into the game. She might not be a teen any longer, but she was closer to their age than to the other adults. Everyone soon found that her metamorph capabilities gave her a definite advantage as she could lengthen her limbs a bit to reach where she needed.

By the time everyone was twisted out, the group collapsed in ragged piles on the grass, laughing and trying to catch their breaths. The sun was just starting to lower in the sky as they all returned to the patio and refilled drinks. Several of the adult magicals helped with drying charms before the next game began. The last game was a raucous round of Charades that even the adults joined in on. As night fell, Augusta and the elder Longbottoms and Weasleys excused themselves for a break, agreeing to apparate back for pickups in several hours.

Despite the mid-day feast, the activities had worked up appetites and Neil had called for the delivery of twenty large pizzas. He was quite surprised at how many of his daughter's friends found the food new and exotic. Soon though they all fell in love with it as the pile of pies was demolished. Afterward, leftover cake was served.

The last event of the evening was the movie showing and Hermione had selected Raiders of the Lost Ark. Before they began, she gave a brief explanation and demonstration about the telly and movies. A few looked baffled, but as the images began and popcorn bowls started to pass, everyone quieted and watched in amazed silence.

By the time the movie finished, Hermione was in Harry's lap half asleep, earning various looks from different guests. She noticed though that a few other couples had paired up in the darkened room. As the credits rolled and the lights were raised, yawns were heard and the evening drew to a close. Harry and Neville thanked everyone for coming as a group left out the front to call for the Knight Bus. A few minutes later, pops in the backyard signaled the apparating adults coming to collect others. By a bit after eleven, the house was empty. Standing on the back patio looking at the yard under the low outdoor lights, Harry shook his head.

"Don't worry about it Harry. Clean up tomorrow."

"Thanks Jean. For everything. This was the best birthday ever."

"Thank Hermione, it was mostly her. I just helped."

Harry smiled and pulled his girlfriend close as he leaned in to kiss her. Not needing to see more, Neil quickly took his wife by the arm and pulled her back in the house.


	5. A Momentous Birthday

Chapter 5 – A Momentous Birthday

The next morning saw all four residents of the Granger house resuming their exercise schedule. After, Harry and Hermione dressed in conservative muggle clothing before gathering up their best school robes and stepping outside to summon the Knight Bus. Hermione groaned as they climbed on, having hoped to avoid using the contraption ever again, but they didn't have anyone available to apparate them. As soon as they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, they put their robes on and made their way to Diagon Alley and Gringotts. Upon stepping in the bank, Harry walked up to the central goblin and squared his shoulders as he presented himself.

"Good day sir, my name is Harry James Potter and I would like to speak to my account manager, Silverclaw."

The goblin said nothing, but gave a bare nod as he turned and left to disappear back further into the halls of the bank. A few minutes later, he returned with Silverclaw.

"Good day Scion Potter. And might I wish you a prosperous birthday."

"Thank you Silverclaw. I hope business is well and your gold flows continuously."

Silverclaw smiled at the goblin phrasing. This new young lord would be one to watch. Of course, the Potters were always much more polite than most.

"Indeed. Please follow me, we have much to discuss. I assume that you wish Miss Granger to attend as well?"

Harry nodded in the affirmative as he took Hermione's hand and they followed Silverclaw through the maze of halls at the back of the bank. When they arrived at his office, they were seated quickly and Silverclaw immediately got down to business.

"Now, Scion Potter…"

"Excuse me Silverclaw, before you continue, can you please address me as Harry? We'll be working together for years to come and I'd like to think this will be start of a prosperous friendship for us both."

"Indeed. Well then Harry, the first order of business is for you to officially accept your title as the 27th Lord Potter. This is an apparently simple matter of just accepting and wearing the ring, but there is more to it than just that. As you take the ring, you must think of your lineage and your desire to serve as a true and noble lord, bringing pride to your house. The magic imbued in the ring will judge your intent. Do not be concerned, just focus your will and intent."

Harry nodded and smiled gratefully at Hermione, who gave his hand a firm squeeze before letting him go as Harry reached for the small, wooden box that Silverclaw had presented him. Opening the box, he saw a wide band of gold inside, engraved with the House Potter crest and set with a number of precious gems at key points of the crest. Thinking first of his father who had died fighting Voldemort, Harry's thoughts then drifted to other notable Potters that he had read about recently. He focused his intent on living up to the high regard of his house. He also thought of his feelings for Hermione, before letting his thoughts focus only on the ring as he lifted it from the box. He turned it and slid it onto his right ring finger. It was a bit large at first, but he soon felt it size down to fit him perfectly. As it did, there was a sudden bright flash of blue-white light that seemed to emanate from the ring until it covered him completely. Then it surprisingly extended until Hermione was also bathed in the glow. Harry smiled as a feeling of rightness suffused him. Then the glow dimmed until it disappeared completely.

Across the desk, Silverclaw was doing his best to maintain his stoic facade. He had heard of flashes occurring when Lords took their rings, but they were usually brief. What he had seen was more than just a flash, it was almost an aura. The fact that it had included Miss Granger made him suspect that she would be a permanent fixture by this young lord's side. He wasn't fully sure what it meant, but he knew that his report of the incident would be spoken of by many of the elders. He regained his control and continued with business.

"Alright Harry, the house magic has accepted you most definitely. Now we can continue with further details. First, the amounts I quoted you a few weeks ago have changed slightly. In addition, today your trust vault is being rolled into the main Potter vault. Here is the current value…"

Harry looked at the slip of parchment. It was a bit over what he had seen before. Honestly, once the numbers got to a certain point, it was all a bit much.

"Next is an inventory of non-monetary vault contents. Here is a detailed list. In summary, there are 41 paintings, 397 items of jewelry, 311 books, and an additional 265 household and miscellaneous items. This includes only items stored in the vault and does not include items at any of your family properties. That brings me to the next item, properties. First is Potter Manor, situated south of London on the edge of the High Weald, southeast of the muggle village of Hever. This is the historic home of your family, with the land being granted back in the 11th century and was well situated to the capital, being a three days' ride. This left the Potters autonomous, but close enough to attend court during season. The manor has been maintained uninhabited for the past seventeen years. Your parents chose to hide in the lesser known village of Godric's Hollow, which is tied to your family via the Peverells, an ancestral branch of the Potters that became extinct over four hundred years ago. You hold title to the home at 140 Avon Lane in the village, although it has remained in partial ruins as a monument to your parents' sacrifice and at the wish of the town council. Finally, your third, non-business related property is Potter Cay in the Caribbean. Officially it lies within the isles of the Bahamas, but has been warded and made unplottable for several hundred years and only the oldest muggle maps even know of its existence. The island is 38 hectares and includes a main house, as well as several guest houses. All properties have been maintained by Gringotts property management per your father's will. Along with the properties, a total of four house elves remain living and serving the family, traveling between Potter Manor and Potter Cay to assist with maintenance."

Silverclaw took a brief pause and Harry looked at Hermione, knowing she wouldn't be happy about the elves. She just gave him a wan smile and nodded. It wasn't like it was his fault, still Harry felt he should address it.

"Silverclaw, about the elves, are they cared for? How do I contact them? And how do I visit the properties?"

"Yes, the Potters always cared well for their elves. Even providing them bungalows on the grounds of Potter Manor. Quite unusual for most wizard families. Milly is the oldest and most senior elf. You can call him at any time once you leave Gringotts. As for traveling to Potter Manor or Potter Cay, your ring is a portkey. Simply place your wand to it and say the name of the property. If you wish to take others with you, loop a chain in the ring before you do so. Now, about additional properties. There are eleven other properties that you own, of which nine are located here in Diagon Alley and rented to the businesses that reside within them. You have a stake in each of those businesses, as well as four more in the Alley and another five businesses outside. This is only for significant stakes. You also own a number of stocks and bonds within the muggle world. There are two additional properties, one in Limbugaon in the Darjeeling region of India. That is the home of the Potter Tea and Herb Company. It is primarily muggle, but has a hidden magical portion of the business that provides a number of unusual plants for apothecary purposes. Finally, there is a property near Lautenbach, Germany where the Roggenwolf Distillery produces a number of fine liqueurs. It was a joint business founded between your six times great-grandfather and one of the ancestral lines of the family we now know as Greengrass. All your businesses and their associated properties are managed through Gringotts with similar agreements as to what I have mentioned before. Here is a summary statement of your income, as well as the full details underneath. Here also is a list of all properties, as well as a list of your various stakes in magical and muggle businesses, including stocks and bonds."

Harry accepted two large stacks of parchment and decided to focus on the summary. His head was beginning to spin from information overload as it was. He briefly looked at the summary and was happy to see a consistent profit for each of the last five years. For now that would be enough.

"Alright, thank you Silverclaw. I am pleased to see that all the businesses are doing well, although I wouldn't expect anything less under Gringotts capable management. I am still learning a bit about my role and will need time to review all this. Then I will also be busy with my studies. What do I need to do to have Gringotts continue with the current agreements? Is there anything that the agreements set limits on?"

"I have continuation contracts that you can sign. They have the same terms as to what your grandfather agreed to. The main limitations are that Gringotts cannot change your stakeholder percentages or pursue new business opportunities. It means that, while we can ensure some minimal profitability, it will not be near the level as when you take active management."

"Understood. I can accept that for a couple of more years while I focus on doing away with Voldemort and finishing school."

Silverclaw produced several contracts. Harry and Hermione each took one, then switched and moved on to the others. Once they were both satisfied, Harry began the painful process of signing with the blood quill. As Silverclaw set the completed contracts to the side, he moved on to the next topic.

"Now that all the tangible properties and businesses have been dealt with, there is one more matter that you should be advised on Harry. As I mentioned when we discussed the property in Godric's Hollow, you have a tie to the Peverell family, one of the oldest in the magical world. In addition, you are tied to the original family who founded that village, the Gryffindors. Both lines have been extinct for greater than seven generations and you have the opportunity to revive those lines if you wish. If you decide not to, the option will remain open for your heirs."

Harry took a deep breath as yet another shock hit him. He knew enough thanks to his studies on house history, rules, and decorum to understand what Silverclaw was saying. Still, he was just fifteen and only had his first girlfriend.

"Thank you for the information Silverclaw. I honestly can't say whether I would wish to exercise the right to revive the lines. I was raised muggle and polygamy is frowned on. I realize that each line would require a different lady and I would need to produce an heir for each. It's a bit much right now."

"I understand. It was my duty to inform you and that is all. If you decide to move forward and select a lady for one of the lines and produce an heir, then upon the heir reaching the age of two years, then the associated vault will be opened again. Both the Peverell and Gryffindor vaults have been sealed for over four hundred years."

Harry nodded and glanced at Hermione. She gave his hand a squeeze of support, which he appreciated. He could think of nothing else that he wanted addressed.

"Well, I have plenty to review and think on. I don't have anything further right now. Hermione, can you think of any questions I missed?"

Hermione shook her head and Silverclaw took that as notice and stood up. Harry then did the same and reached to shake his hand.

"Thank you very much for your time my lord. Your quarterly statements will be sent to you directly now. If you have any questions, please let me know. May all your endeavors remain profitable and your enemies fall at your feet."

"And may your weapons vanquish those who oppose you and their treasures yield to you Silverclaw."

With the final pleasantries given, Harry and Hermione stepped out of the office and found a young goblin waiting to lead them back to the lobby. Harry carried a sheaf of parchment under one arm, while his other hand was linked in Hermione's. She felt the heaviness about him as he pondered everything he had just learned. Squeezing his hand, she pulled him closer and then began to skip a bit.

"Come on Harry! It is officially someone's birthday and I think you need ice cream."

Harry chuckled and welcomed her attempt to lighten his mood as he let himself be pulled along toward Fortescue's. After they each made their selections and found a table outside, Harry brought forth the topic that was weighing the most on him.

"So Hermione, what do you think about the whole line continuation thing? It's a bit crazy. I mean, not that I don't like the idea of reviving Gryffindor. And the Peverells have a deep history, but multiple wives? I couldn't believe that when I first read about it."

"Well, we both know that the wizarding world is a behind the times. I mean we have classmates with betrothal contracts. Anyway, I don't think you should rule it out. There are plenty of girls who would love to apply for either of the lines. And a founder's line like Gryffindor would give you some unique privileges at school. Of course you would need to choose a Mrs. Potter, who would be the first wife and would have to approve any additions to the family."

"Which is why I wanted to know what you thought. You don't mind?"

"Harry! That is not something to joke about. We've only been dating for a bit less than two months."

"I know Hermione, and I'm not proposing right now, but I really can't imagine my life without you. You've been my rock for four years. Our friendship goes much further than our official dating time. I'm just a bit surprised that you would even consider it."

"Well, it would have to be with the right person. Or persons. Everyone would have to be compatible together. That won't be easy. Anyway, enough of this serious talk, it's time to go see Sirius."

Harry laughed at her joke as they discarded their trash and made their way to outside the Leaky, where they summoned the Knight Bus to take them to the park near Grimmauld Place. It wasn't a pleasant mode of transport, but at least the ride was quite brief. Sirius had wanted to celebrate Harry's birthday, but his fugitive status made attending the party the day before troublesome. Instead, they had agreed to visit the following day.

As soon as Harry knocked on the door to the house, it was yanked open. Once he stepped inside, Sirius pulled him into a huge hug and wished him a happy birthday. They quickly went into the sitting room, where Harry was surprised to see a small cake waiting, as well as a couple of gifts.

"Wow Sirius, you know I told you not to worry about doing anything."

"Whatever! I missed too many of your birthdays. Anyway, I found a recipe and baked the cake myself. May not be Molly Weasley standard, but it should be edible. Add enough chocolate to anything and it's edible."

Harry laughed as he and Hermione sat down and Sirius lit a single, large, sparkling candle in the middle of the cake. When Harry tried to blow it out he failed, causing Sirius to break out in barking laughs. As the candle burnt lower, Harry finally had an idea and cast a finite at it. That did the trick and Sirius began to applaud. Soon the cake was cut and butterbeers were chilled and passed. While it was a bit dry, it wasn't bad and Harry appreciated the effort. As they ate, Harry talked about his visit to Gringotts and Sirius nodded when he mentioned properties.

"Excellent! I'm glad the goblins have maintained the properties. That means the wards are still in place. I was most concerned about the manor. The Death Eaters got close to finding it during the last war, that's why James decided to hide out in the lesser known Godric's Hollow. It's a grand place. As for the island, I only visited it once the summer after sixth year. Your grandfather Fleamont liked it, but Euphemia couldn't stand the heat. It's much smaller, but still has everything you need and it's secluded."

"Well, I want to visit both. I should talk to the Grangers. They like to keep track of where we are going during the days. The island sounds like fun, maybe we can get a few days there, what do you think Hermione?"

"Mum and dad would like that. We usually take a holiday during the summer, but with Dr. Ross being gone for his medical leave, they don't have as much time this year."

Once they finished their cake, Sirius eagerly set the dishes aside and picked up the gifts. Hermione was surprised when he handed one to her as well.

"Don't question! Just open and I'll explain."

Harry shrugged and ripped the paper open to reveal a shimmery item that was smooth in texture and about three quarters of the length of his forearm. Looking closer, he saw that it had a slot in one end and an opening in the other, from which extended something that appeared to be a stone handle. Looking closer, the item itself appeared to have shimmery scales.

"Si…Sirius…is this dragonhide?

Hermione had opened hers as well and it was almost identical, but slightly shorter. She marveled over the material as Sirius began to explain.

"Yes indeed, it's Antipodean Opaleye hide. No worries, it and the bone handles were humanely harvested after natural deaths. I knew you would worry about that. Anyway, the Opaleye is a rare breed and it's hide has unique properties. Besides being beautiful when visible, it holds charms better than any other hide, and they remain permanent. What you each hold are wand and dagger holsters. They strap to your forearm and have a built in disillusionment charm that makes them invisible. They also have anti-summoning and quick release charms. Aurors wear something similar, but made out of more common hide that needs replacing every few years. These holsters also have a small dagger that you can pull out of the back end. The handles are polished Ironbelly bone, the hardest there is. The blades are goblin forged steel. The daggers will also be invisible as soon as you strap them on. Handy to have and not something one would expect. May give you the element of surprise someday. Now, why you both are getting them on Harry's birthday. I had planned on getting Harry's, but I knew he would then want you to have one Hermione. I knew that getting you one would be like a second gift for him."

Harry grinned and nodded at his godfather, who was of course correct.

"Awesome Sirius. These had to cost a fortune. I don't even know where you buy something like this."

"Not in an average store. The goblins imported the holsters from a Maori craftsman in New Zealand and then procured the bone and fashioned the daggers. Like I've said before, I have a lot of birthdays to make up for. It's not exactly like I'm spending money living the high life now."

Hermione stood up and went to give Sirius a hug.

"Thank you so much Sirius. I will count this as an early present for my own birthday. Shall we try them out Harry?"

Harry agreed and the threesome went downstairs to the training arena to practice on using the holsters, learning to control the release as well as retraction of the wands. After they worked up a bit of a sweat, they opted for more chilled butterbeers and stayed to talk with Sirius a bit longer before agreeing that they needed to get home. He apparated them to the Grangers back yard just as Neil was stepping out to warm up the grill.

"Ah hello kids, hi Sirius. Care to stay for dinner?"

Sirius looked torn. He wasn't supposed to leave Grimmauld at all. Still, he was only apparating between one warded, private property to another. Dumbledore had chewed him out when he had visited before at the park, but he didn't really care. Deciding to tell the old man where he could stick his precautions, Sirius grinned.

"That sounds great Neil. As long as there's enough."

"Sure thing. Glad to have you. If you talk to Jean real nice, she may even find you something cold to drink."

Sirius followed Harry into the kitchen and they collected drinks from Jean, who was happy to see Sirius. Before long the five of them were back outside talking on the patio. For Harry, the trip to Gringotts had been stressful and full of surprises, but with the party the day before, the visit to Sirius, and now the small barbeque, it was like two birthdays in one. Gradually the idle chit chat changed as Harry began to give the Grangers more details on the happenings at the bank. He passed around the different parchments so that he could get their input. They were successful business owners with a number of investments and were all but family as far as he was concerned. He had given Sirius a few details earlier, but they had been sidelined by the amazing gifts. Now he shook his head as he looked over everything. When Harry's stomach made a loud rumbling, Neil set the parchment aside and took that as his clue to start cooking. It was all a bit daunting anyway to think of how much the shy young man who they had taken in was worth. He would help him however he could though. Judging by the looks between him and Hermione, Harry was here to stay. He realized as a father that he should have maybe been upset or a protective, but he had to admit that he couldn't have picked a better young man for her.

Talk during a delicious dinner of grilled pork chops switched from monetary assets to titles and responsibilities. Sirius brought up one subject that Harry hadn't considered yet.

"So pup, are you going to name a new proxy for your seat and votes on the Wizengamot? I assume since Dumbledore was your magical guardian that he has been the proxy up until now. I know it's only a couple of years, but there's a lot happening right now."

Harry stopped chewing and paused to think. He had seen something in the will about a Wizengamot seat, but he knew he couldn't sit until he was seventeen, despite his early inheritance.

"I'm not sure Sirius. I hadn't even thought of that yet. If you weren't wanted, I'd name you. I have to admit, after everything Dumbledore has kept from me, I don't like the idea of him holding my votes. I don't know who else to name though."

"You know Harry, once you name a proxy, you can have them help you with Sirius' case. As a titled lord you can ask for an official review. Once word gets out that he didn't have a trial, that should prompt him to at least get a trial and maybe even an acquittal."

"Yes! Alright, so who? Maybe Remus, or Neil, would you? Can I name a muggle?"

"I'm not sure pup. And I'm not sure about Remus either. I might make a suggestion though. You need a strong, unassailable position right now. I know you don't like the pureblood supremacy, but not all purebloods are bad. Take moi for example. I have an idea of someone else. She's pureblood, fair, and stubborn as anything. You actually know her as well, Madam Longbottom. She already votes the proxy for the Longbottom seat until Neville is of age. She attends regularly and no one would question her stance. I believe she would advise you, but would ultimately carry out your wishes unless you wanted to do something truly horrendous, which of course we don't have to worry about."

"Hmm, that sounds like a good idea Sirius. Hermione?"

"I agree. Having an older pureblood as your proxy and appearing to shepherd you will smooth feathers now and when you take your seat."

"Alright, I'll send an owl and ask for a meeting. I remember reading in the Prophet that the Wizengamot is on summer leave until late August, so I have a bit of time. We'll make your case our first priority Sirius."

Sirius smiled and talk turned more mundane. Personally he was quietly hopeful, but had learned to not hope too much. After dinner finished, he stayed just a bit longer and then excused himself back to Grimmauld, hoping his absence wasn't noticed. Harry and Hermione took care of the clean up and then the entire family retired to the living room for the evening.

Later that night as Harry was getting ready for bed, Hermione appeared at his room as usual. Usually she wore a short tank and cotton shorts, but instead she was wearing just a longer shirt that barely covered her bum. Harry's mouth went dry when he saw her, but she just glided over to him and soon he was lost in kissing her. As they fell back on the bed, hands began to wander and her shirt rode up to give an enticing view of lacy pale blue knickers. So far their relationship had progressed to only this level with plenty of exploration above the waist and long snogging sessions. Harry was always careful and often Hermione would hear him quickly make his way to the hallway bath after she left. Now she was determined to help him out and move things along. She was just as frustrated, even if she wasn't as obvious.

After a few minutes, Hermione's shirt was lost, while Harry had never gotten one on. His pajama bottoms were straining and he knew he needed to stop soon, but he was lost in the feel of his girlfriend's skin and the taste of her mouth. Then he felt something surprising as she took hold of his waistband and lowered his pants. With nothing on underneath, he sprung free with a shock. When her petite hand gripped him firmly, he almost came right then as he moaned her name.

"Uh…Miiiiione. What?"

"I want to help you out my love. You've been incredibly patient, but I am ready for more."

Harry pulled back and paused for a moment as their eyes locked. It was the first time she had called him her love. He realized right then that he did love her. He had never really paused to consider it before. She was such a constant, such a part of him. He may not have known much love, but he knew what she meant to him.

"I do love you Mione. I should have realized sooner, but I'm a bit slow. I know though. I love you so much."

Hermione saw in his eyes the truth of his words and she was broken as she collapsed into his chest and began to lightly cry, worrying Harry. He tilted her head back and looked at her longingly.

"Mione, please, what did I do?"

"Oh Harry, you made me happy. So happy. I didn't think you'd be ready to really tell me yet. I've known for a while how I feel, but I didn't want to scare you."

Harry smiled and claimed her lips once again. The passion was heightened now that they had declared their feelings. Hermione's last reserve left her as she moaned with Harry's hands wandering. She took hold of him again and spread his pre-cum down his shaft as she set a languid pace. When one of his hands left a breast and caught on the edge of the knickers, she held it there and then lifted her bum to allow him to remove them. As he pulled them down, he sat back and took in her beauty. She kept herself trimmed, but not shaved and his eyes were on fire. As the knickers were discarded, she pulled him back to her as their lips sought to claim every inch of skin they could. As she resumed her work on him, he allowed his fingers to open her up as he explored her. When he brushed her clit, she had to bite her lip and hold back a loud moan. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to hold back again, she desperately looked around and spotted his wand on the nightstand. Leaning over him, she cast privacy and silencing charms. Then she cast the contraceptive charm on herself. She had only planned on blowing him for his birthday, but now she knew that she wanted him completely. He recognized the spell and seemed a bit surprised, but then she tossed the wand and distracted him once again.

The next long minutes were spent with exploring lips, tongues and hands. Harry traced kisses down Hermione's neck and then focused on a nipple before moving down her stomach. All the while, his fingers were doing delightful work between her legs, teasing her clit and just barely probing her. As he moved lower, she moaned in frustration as his fingers moved away. Then his tongue moved from her stomach and soon replaced his fingers as he sucked on her clit. Soon she was calling out his name and was glad for strong charms. He may have been a novice, but he seemed to be a natural and soon had her bucking as she grabbed his hair and came on his face. He tasted her and felt himself throb. He thought he might come without even being touched, but he was not quite there. As she settled from her climax, she pulled him up and snogged him hard as she reached to grab his cock once again. He grimaced a bit and she could see his pain. Smiling, she pulled back and then dropped down between his legs. There was way too much for her to take more than half of him, so she started with a slow lick. Then she blew on him a bit before taking his tip and swirling her mouth around him. She went down to take as much as she could before gagging and then backed up to try again. After a few plunges, his moans had increased and she could feel him pulsing as she flicked her tongue right on the end and then sucked hard on him. That finally did it as he came with a cry, ejecting several hot streams into her. The volume was a bit surprising, but she managed to take most of it. She had wondered about the taste, but found it wasn't too bad. Not great, but not bad. She slurped the last and winked up at him before crawling back up his body and collapsing with her head on his chest.

"Gods Mione. Wow."

"I could say the same."

She was grinning at him and looking impossibly sexy, flushed and with her hair even more untamed than usual. He started to kiss her again and his partially deflated erection hardened under her leg. Hermione was grinding against him and knew it was time. She moved herself slightly and sat up as she straddled him. Reaching behind her, she positioned him forward right at her entrance, letting his head breach her just a bit. Harry looked a bit surprised and then he smiled that glorious smile and she knew that now was the time. His hands held her hips, supporting but letting her take the initiative.

"I love you Harry."

"I love you too Mione."

With those words she slowly sunk herself down on his shaft. He watched himself disappear into her as he was suddenly enveloped in the most perfect, tight heat. Taking a breath, he willed himself to hold back as he focused back on her eyes. She had reached a slight resistance and relaxed herself as she dropped down completely on him, ending the last barrier between herself and Harry. Although not pleasant, she found the pinch to be quick and soon it subsided as she began to gently rock against Harry. Then she sat up a bit and dropped back down, beginning to set a delicious rhythm. Seeing her pleasure, he began to meet her downward movements with upward thrusts that increased the volume of her cries. Never had Harry imagined just how incredible this would be. It was utter perfection to have the woman he loved here giving him this. Their eyes were locked as their movements synced and their cries joined. When Hermione came with a final scream, the vise tightening on Harry finally set him off as he emptied himself deep within her. She collapsed onto his chest, boneless and trembling as he kept moving with short thrusts, depositing everything he had in her. Each time caused a new small tremor to suffuse her until finally he felt himself finish and slowly leave her. As they separated, she looked back to his eyes and their lips met once more before they dozed.

Sometime during the night Hermione stirred and realized where she was. She rolled to the side and the movement caused Harry to wake and smile at her.

"Hello beautiful, gods this seems perfect, waking up to those chocolate eyes."

Hermione smiled and kissed him slowly. They were both still mostly asleep, but soon roused as their passion ignited. When Harry rolled over and entered her slowly, Hermione sighed in completeness. Their second joining was long and slow, both already sated, they reveled in the closeness and traded hundreds of small kisses as he slowly drove them to a mutual climax many long minutes later. After their combined cries of joy they once again let slumber claim them as they fell asleep entangled, neither noticing that the midnight hour was slipping away and Harry's birthday was complete.


	6. The Plan Begins

Chapter 6 – The Plan Begins

The next morning the sun was just barely lightening the room when a knock at the door woke the two young lovers with a start. They had been so wrapped up in each other that the alarm had been neglected. Thankfully it was Jean at the door and she was circumspect as she cracked the door and spoke without looking in.

"Good morning you two. I will assume that Hermione is with you Harry since her bed looks untouched. We'll talk later, but right now you need to get ready for our run. Your father is almost ready."

"Yes mum, I'm here. We'll be down shortly."

Jean left and Harry groaned before Hermione silenced him with a quick kiss.

"Good morning lover. Yes, that was embarrassing, but I don't care. Last night was worth it. I love you, but now we need some cleaning charms and workout clothes."

"I love you too Hermione. Even if your dad kills me, it was worth it."

Hermione laughed at him as she helped to pull him up off the bed. He grabbed his wand and cast the cleaning charms, which were definitely needed. A shower would have been better, but that would wait until after their run. Hermione then ducked across the hall to get dressed while Harry did the same. Soon they were downstairs, where the elder Grangers were waiting. Neil looked the same as always, but Jean gave her daughter a knowing look. Apparently she hadn't talked to her husband yet. Thankfully, Neil left right then and they were on their way. As they ran, Hermione was feeling a bit sore, but not as bad as she had expected. Not as bad as some girls in the dorm claimed the morning after would feel. Still, she hung back just a bit and was glad that her dad picked a shorter route for the day.

Once they were back at the house, Harry and Hermione made breakfast and ate with her parents after they took their showers. Once they were off to the practice, Hermione turned to Harry with a grin.

"Fancy saving some water and joining me?"

Harry grinned and tossed his dish rag aside as he chased Hermione up the stairs. While the goal of saving water was never achieved, the long, hot shower was quite fun and Harry wondered if he would ever be able to sleep or shower alone again.

Later that night after everyone separated to go to bed, Jean decided it was time for a talk. Hermione had just reached her room when her mum knocked on the door. Hermione called out for her to come in and seemed only slightly surprised to see her mum.

"Hello dear. I suppose you would have preferred if it was Harry at the door, but we should talk."

Hermione sighed and nodded as she sat on her bed.

"So mum, let me guess and answer the first question. Yes, I was careful. And yes, what you think might have happened did happen."

"Oh, I didn't doubt that. I noticed you were moving a bit slower this morning. Thankfully your father is oblivious, but I won't lie to him or cover up for you. I have to admit I was a bit surprised. I figured you would fool around some on his birthday, but I thought you'd wait for full intercourse."

"Honestly mum, I hadn't planned to go as far as we did, but it was right. I can't tell you anything more than that. We both declared our love and I could see in his eyes how he felt. I have no doubt he is the man for me and quite frankly I was more than ready."

"I understand. You are my daughter. Still, you seem to be growing up so fast. It doesn't help with you going away for school. I know you and Harry are set on each other and I am quite fond of him, but I just hope you are sure…and careful."

"Yes on both mum. I used a charm, but I am going to visit the apothecary soon. There is a six month potion that will take care of having to worry with finding a wand and casting when you're already distracted."

"Six months, well that is reassuring. So, does this mean the guest room won't be used anymore? You do have a bigger bed after all."

"If I have my choice, then no. Harry is an amazing pillow."

Right then, the young man under discussion knocked on the not quite closed door and it swung open. He looked a bit startled to see Jean as well. He was dressed just in pajama bottoms and seemed unsure if he should turn around.

"Come in Harry. Hermione and I were just finishing and I should talk to you as well."

Harry nodded and stepped in the room, crossing to sit next to Hermione, wrapping a protective arm around her. Jean smirked at the gesture.

"No need to get protective Harry. I am not dumb and I'm not so old that I don't remember what it was like to be young and in love. I wish you had waited until you were older, but I know how attached the two of you are. Just don't make me a grandmother anytime soon, but Hermione assures me that she is taking care of that. Also, I think the two of you should talk to Neil. I won't stop you from sharing a bed and I'm not going to make you leave our house. I know that would only drive my daughter away. Still, this will not be easy for her father and I think talking to him should be your responsibility."

"Of course Jean. I'll talk to Neil in the morning. And I want you to know, that I love Hermione more than my own life. I will never do anything to knowingly hurt her."

Jean nodded, fighting back tears as she saw the fierceness in his eyes. She knew they were older than their years, but it still didn't make this any easier. She said good night to both of them and then left to for her own bedroom.

"Well, that wasn't easy, but I'm glad she knows and I'll talk to your dad. They've been kind and deserve it. So, I guess we're allowed to share a bed?"

Hermione smiled and nodded as she kissed him long and hard before pulling back.

"Yes Harry, if you want. My bed is bigger, so I was thinking you could move in here."

Harry grinned and happily joined her. The next day they would spend time moving his things into the large walk in closet that she never fully utilized anyway.

The next morning saw them downstairs to meet the elder Grangers for their morning run. Harry knew now was the time to talk to Neil. It didn't help his nerves to know that Neil was armed as usual, but then again, so was Harry.

"Neil, before we go, I need to talk to you."

"WE need to talk to you dad."

Neil stiffened and nodded, glancing to his wife before looking back at them.

"You need to know that I've moved into Hermione's room now and that we are sleeping together. Jean knows because she found us together when we forgot to set an alarm two nights ago. That was the first night and we didn't want to hide this from you. I want you to know that I love your daughter very much. We have talked and I haven't formally proposed, but she knows that I plan on naming her Lady Potter in the future. I will do everything in my power to make her happy and keep her safe."

"And I will do the same for Harry. I'm in love dad."

Neil stared at the two of them. They had their arms around each other in a united stance. He liked the lad, but damn, this was his baby girl. At least they were being straight with him. It wasn't easy though. Still, he knew he couldn't push Harry away and also push his daughter away at the same time. Hell, the lad owned multiple properties, including a whole damn island. It didn't take much imagination to see them moving out. Even though Hermione was underage, he was limited in what he could do. About the only way he would stop this is if he imprisoned her. That would only work for a year or so and then she would leave and he knew he'd never see her again. It was obvious that her choice had been made. If he wanted to keep her at all, he needed to accept this. He rubbed his face briskly and took a long, shuddering breath.

"Damn! Alright, thank you for at least telling me yourselves. I won't say I like it, but I understand that you're both quite mature. It will take a bit to get used to. If you hurt her Harry, I don't care how much I like you, you will regret it!"

"I would kill myself first sir."

That brought Neil up short. How was he supposed to answer that? And Hermione was looking up at Harry fiercely in response to his statement. Unable to say anything, Neil just nodded and turned to start out the door to begin their run.

The rest of the day went by with boring normalcy compared to the start. All of the training was going well and both Harry and Hermione felt that their mental shields would at least stand up to passive legilimency. Although a bit daunted by taking his title and house duties, having the goblins handle the business affairs alleviated some of his stress. Later that day Harry sent Hedwig to Madam Longbottom to request a meeting. Her reply was quick and they scheduled tea the following day, with her offering to apparate over to get him. While Harry was working on his house duties, Hermione continued her studies using resources from the Black library. Sirius was a bit dubious about some of her studies and more than curious, but she managed to put him off carefully. If everything worked out, he and her parents would know before long, but she had initial steps to take first. One of those steps began later that evening when Hermione made an inquiry during dinner.

"Mum, dad, I got a letter from the Burrow. Not much from Ron of course, but Ginny is going crazy with boredom. Do you mind if I invite her over tomorrow?"

"Sure dear. Why don't you have her stay for dinner and we can get to know her a bit more too."

"Excellent, thanks mum."

The following day saw Harry and Hermione cleaning up quickly after their morning run. They were just starting breakfast when a pop in the back yard signaled Mr. Weasley's arrival with Ginny in tow. He said hello briefly and then left for the Ministry. The Grangers were already off to work, leaving the three teens alone. Ginny gave Hermione a quick hug and readily accepted tea, although she had already eaten.

"So Ginny, how have you really been this summer? Your mum sounds like she's been keeping you busy."

"Yes, she decided the Burrow needed a top to bottom cleaning. Ugh. We've been finding stuff that was lost before I was born. It's basically done now though. Ron has been a real prat about being forced to do 'women's work'. I think mum even came close to hexing him a couple of times."

"Argh, that boy can be beyond frustrating. So, was he upset about not coming with you today?"

"Not really. No way he wanted to be awake at the time dad goes to work. And he coerced George into tagging along when the twins go to Lee's later. I think they just agreed because they want a test subject, but mum was happy to approve. I know she misses us when we're gone, but I think she's glad to get us out of her hair now that we've been home for a while. So, what are the plans here today?"

"Nothing definite. We've been studying, but our homework is done and we could use a break. Did you bring a swimsuit? We go swimming most afternoons."

Ginny nodded and agreed with the plan. Once breakfast was finished Hermione offered to watch an early movie, which thrilled Ginny. Movies were a rare treat, with her first having been at the birthday party. After the movie they left the house to go down to the village and the small strip of shops there. Harry held back and let the girls be girls. It was good to see Hermione laughing and having fun. Ginny seemed happy to watch them when they cuddled and any fear he had of jealousy seemed unfounded. They found lunch and then went home to change into swimsuits. When Harry headed into Hermione's room and pulled his trunks out of a drawer before leaving the girls alone, Ginny's eyebrows shot up. The door was barely closed behind him when Ginny grabbed Hermione and dragged her over to sit on the bed.

"Harry is sharing your room? What about your parents?"

"Yes Ginny, but it's a new development in the last few days. Mum is accepting, dad is not too happy, but knows better than to push me away and fight it."

"Alright, you know I have to ask, how far have you gone?"

"We're completely involved now Ginny. You know my libido. I hadn't planned for it to go quite that far, but it was just right. And I am completely happy…gods…sex with Harry…just…yeah."

"Ha! So now you know what the other half is like. I'm a bit surprised, but then I'm not. Jealous maybe. I swear when Dean and I broke up I didn't know how much I was going to miss the sex. And we only did it like three times."

"So no one else since Dean. Girls either?"

"No. I've been stuck at home mainly. I think Luna might be willing, but she was gone on one of her dad's trips for most of the start of summer. You know I offered you and Harry a threesome whenever you want to experiment."

Ginny chuckled at her semi-joke, but Hermione looked thoughtful, causing her to stop laughing.

"Hermione, are you actually…"

"I was going to talk to you later Ginny. I've been looking into ways to help Harry with Voldemort. I can't tell you much since you can't shield your thoughts, but he's going to need some special help. I think I may have found a way, but it will require a group of women and some ancient magic arts that some may consider dark, although I think it's really all about intent."

"Damn, sorry. That's a bit shocking. And intriguing. So, are you like interviewing for the positions?"

"I've been thinking about that in a way. The party was the beginning. I already struck a few off the list after that, just seeing the way they interacted with Harry and vice versa. You're at the top of the list because we've been involved in the past."

"So what does Harry think? Does that mean Daphne is on the list too? She may be a snake, but she doesn't seem bad. And she is gorgeous."

"How did you know about Daph?"

"Please Hermione, when the two of you came out of that study session your hair was a mess."

"Argh, fine, but we never did more than a good snog. You're the only woman I've had sex with Ginny. But, yes, Daphne is on the list for now. She and Harry seemed to do alright to start. I haven't told him any of this. I'm trying to figure out how to ease him into the idea."

Hermione paused and Ginny could tell she was thinking hard.

"Alright, out with it Hermione. What's the plan?"

"Well, we're on our way to swim, but after maybe we can try an experiment, see what Harry thinks. I already hinted that I'd played the other side some, but he doesn't know with who. Maybe I bring up the idea and then we could see what he thinks of something simple like kissing."

"Fine by me. I've been having a hard time keeping my hands off you as it is. If your boyfriend likes it, I'd be more than happy to help like I've said. Anyway, let's get changed and go swimming to start."

Hermione nodded and immediately went to retrieve a bikini. As soon as Ginny saw it, her jaw dropped.

"Are you going swimming in your knickers Hermione?"

"No Gin. This is a muggle swimsuit. It's called a bikini. Here, let me show you."

Hermione immediately stripped and put the suit on. It was actually a fairly modest bikini by most standards, but Ginny was drooling. Then she turned and looked at the large folds of cloth that was her own swimsuit. It was mostly black with a bit of pink at the edges with a high neck and wide straps at the top that covered completely down to the waist, where it extended down as long shorts to mid thigh. Hermione took a look at the 'swimsuit' and shook her head.

"Gods, the magical world is really stuck in Victorian times. There is no way you can wear that at the pool. Here, I've got a one piece from last year that I think will fit you. Not as revealing as my bikini, but nowhere near as bad as that."

As she talked, Hermione dug in the back of a drawer and produced a shimmery blue one piece suit. Ginny took it and found that it was a good fit, hugging her developing curves. The spaghetti straps held up the scooping neckline and the back dipped almost to her bum. She went to a mirror and took a look from different angles.

"Wow, I like this. I think this is better for me than the bikini. At least for now. Let me get used to it. But don't let mum ever see me in this."

"Well, it fits you well. We'll keep it here for you. Come, Harry probably thinks he's never going to see us again."

Hermione gave Ginny a matching wrap to her own and grabbed some towels as they made their way downstairs to Harry. He gave her an appreciative smile and then helped cast the sunblock charms before they left the house wards. Once they were at the center, they swam a few laps and then just enjoyed playing in the water. Harry was very touchy with Hermione, but she couldn't help but notice his eyes wander to Ginny on occasion. Not that she could blame him. It was late in the afternoon when they finally left and returned to the house. After a quick change, they settled back on the sofa and Hermione figured it was time to introduce Harry to a bit of her ideas.

"Harry, before we turn on the telly, I wanted to talk to you."

Harry turned attentively to her and smiled as he took her hand.

"Well, you know that Ginny and I took a bit of time when we were changing earlier. That was because we stopped to talk for a bit. I can't tell her why we're studying so hard this summer, but I was able to give her some vague ideas. I also haven't told you much about the research that I've been doing. Well, I've done enough now that I believe I may have found part of a solution. The thing is that it will require more than just you and me. I will need other women to help with it. I'll have to pick carefully. They'll have to be willing to work hard, be understanding, and get along with everyone. It won't be easy. Well, Ginny is on that list. You know that you're my first serious boyfriend, but you know that I've experimented a bit. I want to be honest and let you know that Ginny and I have history together. We stopped a few months ago, long before you and I were together. Now though I think she may be able to help with this unique magic I've been researching."

Harry looked gobsmacked as his eyes darted from his girlfriend to Ginny and back again. He took a moment to catch his breath.

"Um…alright Hermione. You're the brains here, but that's still shocking. You said unique magic and more women. Do you mean…sex magic?"

"Yes Harry. It's not used much anymore, but it has great power when utilized correctly. I think it has been vilified due to the stringent Victorian ideals of magical England. Also, most sex magic is powered primarily by witches and gives them more power than wizards. Our patriarchal society doesn't like that. I know it's a bit shocking, but please think about it. You know I love you, but I would be willing to share if it can make us both happy, as well as give us tools to use against Voldemort."

Harry nodded dumbly before finally replying.

"Alright."

"Really Harry? So do you want to try an experiment?"

Harry agreed and Hermione leaned in to kiss him long and hard before pulling back with a grin.

"Okay, first step, tell me what you think Harry my love."

With that, Hermione pulled Ginny over and kissed her gently. Then Ginny responded and the kiss deepened before Hermione broke it off to look at her boyfriend. His eyes were glassy and he quirked a half grin at her.

"Well, you don't look too upset Harry. Next step, please kiss Ginny for me."

Harry looked shocked for a moment, but then Ginny moved closer and he took the opportunity and began to kiss her. Hermione felt herself heat up and had to focus hard to keep her objective viewpoint. Once that kiss ended, she grinned.

"Both of you look like you didn't mind that. So, do we want to try? The three of us for now?"

"I'm willing Hermione."

Harry nodded as he looked back and forth between them, then the import of Hermione's words broke through his haze.

"What do you mean, 'three of us for now' Hermione? How many women have to help with this?"

"Alright, honesty is important in all relationships. I'll tell you a bit more of my research. The magic I am looking at is that of a coven…"

Ginny gasped and grew pale. Hermione sighed and grasped her hand.

"Yes Ginny, obviously being pureblood, you've been exposed to the prejudices around covens. Honestly, a lot of it is fairy tales. Again, I think propagated by men who didn't like women getting too much power. I know there are rumors that they are illegal, but there are no actual laws against them. It's more a societal stigma. I think we can change that. It is just one of many things that magical England needs adjusted. Are you going to be okay with this?"

Ginny sighed and looked at her friend before nodding.

"I think so Hermione. It's hard to throw away some of what I've grown up with. I'd like to read some of your references. I want to try though."

"Thanks Gin. So, as I was saying, the magic of a coven will give us unique powers to use against Voldemort. There are no rules specifically on what makes a coven. The ones recorded throughout history have varied in size from five to forty-two. Usually powerful magic numbers are best. While history makes us think covens are always women, that is a fallacy. Yes, women are the majority, but men have also participated. Four would be a minimal number, but that number has very bad connotations arithmetically. Three is powerful, but that is a triad, not a coven. I think too many would increase the difficulty. I think the ideal number is seven. That would be seven members counting yourself as our center Harry."

"Seven? That would mean six women? Really?"

"I know it seems strange, but I think we could make it work with the right people. That is where I am trying to make some careful selections. I already crossed off a few possibilities after your birthday party."

"Okay, so the guest list was to help start building this coven?"

"Partly Harry. I included guys as well. The first priority was fun, but I figured if I could include a bit of research as well that it would help us along. Look, I know this is a lot to take in. Let's start here with the three of us and then see who else might work. I do think Ginny should start Occlumency training as soon as possible."

Harry and Ginny both agreed to that. Harry was still in shock, but Hermione soon distracted him as she started kissing him again. Then she switched to kissing Ginny, before then having Harry and Ginny snog for a bit. Gradually the three relaxed as they traded kisses and even let hands begin roaming. They were so distracted that they didn't hear the garage door open behind them. Jean stepped into the living room and stood agog as she watched the round-robin snogfest in front of her. After a minute, she broke out of her stupor.

"Hello dear, I'm home."


	7. A Trio to Start

Chapter 7 – A Trio to Start

Hermione pulled away from Ginny and looked over the back of her couch at her mum. Deciding to be nonchalant, she replied as she usually would.

"Hi mum. You're home early. Cancellation? You remember Ginny of course from the party."

"Hi Mrs. Granger."

"Yes, my last appointment cancelled. I had a horrible nine year old for my last and I need a break. I'm going to grab a glass of wine and my book and go out back."

Hermione nodded, although she knew the look on her mum's face promised a talk when she could get her daughter alone. For now, Hermione was pleased with where things were at and would worry about that later. Once Jean left for the back garden, Hermione stood and took Harry and Ginny's hands.

"Come along, I've got the reference material upstairs. We can talk more there."

Once they were upstairs, the threesome cuddled up on Hermione's window seat as she passed a couple of very old books from the Black library, pointing out different selections. They each read their own books for a while in companionable silence. Harry was the first to break the solitude with a question.

"Um, Hermione, I need to know if I'm understanding this right."

"Sure Harry, which part?"

"Well this here says that the purification rituals of a coven can have strong and far reaching effects, while also binding the coven closer, sometimes with lasting effects. I know Voldemort is our focus, but what happens after he's gone? Are we all going to be bound together?"

Hermione sighed. She knew this would be a crucial sticking point.

"The possibility is there Harry, more so depending on the amount of power within the coven. That is why compatibility is important. Look Harry, I love you, and I know we've talked about the future. I would be happy to be your one and only, but I don't know that the two of us offer the best solution for your future, for our future. I know you hate your fame and are just getting used to your title, but when we do away with Voldemort, that will only increase your influence. Add to that the businesses that you will be managing, ideally you will need close advisors for different areas. And there are the other lines you can resurrect. It goes against everything we're raised with as muggles, but it's part of embracing our magical heritage. Please think about it."

"Damn, so you want me to have more wives eventually?"

" _Want_ , not necessarily. In an ideal world, I would like to marry Harry James Potter, above average wizard who will go on to moderate success in a business he starts and remain basically invisible to the general public. That will never be though. The Harry James Potter I fell in love with is the Lord Potter with a rich magical heritage and has unique opportunities to make world sweeping change. That sounds like a lot, and it is. That is why you will need trusted advisors. And who would be more trusted than a wife? Although the coven bond is stronger than any marital bond, it isn't recognized by the modern Ministry. Do you think this is something you could accept Harry? There's no guarantee, but with you being so powerful and being the center of our coven, the possibility of permanent bonds is very real. Before we go too far, you need to be sure. Each of us will need to be."

Harry was quiet for a long minute. It was all a bit daunting. As a fifteen year old new lord the idea of multiple women wasn't necessarily bad from a lust perspective, but what they were talking about was something infinitely more. Could he be a good man for more than one woman? For six?

"I think I may be able to accept this Hermione, but let me think a bit longer. It's a lot to understand. Anyone else would have to know that I could never love them the way I love you. Sorry Ginny, I care about you, but love may take a while."

"I understand Harry. I'm going to need to think on this as well. I don't mind experimenting a bit, but before we bring in the full group, you and Hermione need to be in agreement. Then each of us will come in after. Who next Hermione?"

"I think you can guess."

"A Slytherin. Well that will be interesting, but she is brilliant and definitely cunning. I can see her political talents and training being useful."

"Um, can one of you fill me in?"

Hermione turned and smiled at her boyfriend.

"Daphne Greengrass. You met her at the party. She and I have a couple of electives together and we've grown close. Not as close as Ginny and I, but she is special. I won't talk to her about this until you have a chance to think more Harry."

"Alright, thanks. Give me a couple of days at least. If I go ahead with this, then anyone involved will need Occlumency training. Ginny should start tonight. Tonks will be here before long anyway. Is that okay Gin?"

"Sure. I've had a few basics. It's part of being pureblood. I wouldn't be surprised if Daphne hasn't had more, coming from a stricter pureblood background."

"Thanks for considering this Harry. I think the potential is great. It won't be easy, but as the saying goes, nothing worthwhile ever is."

The three friends returned to their reading for another twenty minutes before taking a break when they heard Tonks calling from downstairs. She was fine with adding Ginny to the lessons and soon discovered that the young redhead was already competent in the basics. After their usual hour and a bit, everyone unfolded themselves from the living room floor and went to help with the last preparations for dinner. Neil had arrived home while they had been meditating and was tossing a salad as Jean finished the chicken. Tonks was advised to sit, but the teenagers were all given tasks to help. Jean watched her daughter and friends carefully throughout and noticed the two girls were quite companionable as they interacted. It didn't seem to bother Harry, who also didn't mind when both girls swatted his bum on the way by. Hermione caught her mother looking right then and just smirked.

After a pleasant dinner, Tonks excused herself and apparated from the back yard. Mr. Weasley arrived at the pre-arranged time to pick up Ginny. The goodbyes were kept to hugs due to parental eyes, but Ginny promised to ask for permission for another visit in a couple of days.

With the guests gone, dinner cleanup was complete and then Neil decided to test Harry's chess skills while Hermione and her mum read books. When Hermione went to retrieve a different book from upstairs, Jean decided to follow. As soon as they were in her room, Hermione turned to her mum.

"Alright mum, I know you have been waiting hours. What do you want to know?"

"You seem rather calm considering I caught you in the middle of a three way snog. And the three of you looked rather comfortable together in the kitchen."

"Yes mum, the three of us are trying out something a bit different. I can't go into details right now. I've been researching for weeks and just told Harry about some of the research. He still has to decide how willing he is. We won't move forward until he is sure. It's taken me weeks to get to this point. If he does decide to give it a try, I may have found a way to utilize a rare form of magic to help with some of the problems we have. That is the most I can say right now."

"So this magic requires more than one partner? You and Ginny are obviously close. This isn't just about Harry wanting more than one girlfriend?"

"Definitely not. He is more hesitant than we are. Look, you know Harry was my first, but in actuality he was just my first man. Ginny and I had a brief relationship earlier this year. It was fun, but neither of us were completely fulfilled and moved on to boyfriends."

For once Jean was stunned silent for a moment. Not that she had any prejudice. In all honesty, she had experimented a bit in school, never quite going too far. Still, she thought she would have seen signs. Of course, the relationship had happened at school, far away from her.

"Alright, well I admit I'm a bit surprised. Look, we're trying to be accepting and I wouldn't care if you were gay, but a multiple relationship is a bit more to adjust to. Let's at least keep it quiet from your father for now."

"I agree. Although, if things progress as I foresee them possibly going, then we'll need to tell you and dad more. And you should know that it would be likely that we will bring other witches into the partnership as well."

"How many? No, never mind. Let's wait and see if it progresses like you say. Please keep the personal attention with Ginny down around your father for now. He has a hard enough time with you and Harry."

"Understood. And thanks for listening mum. I know this isn't easy."

"No, but nothing has been since we found out you were a witch. All we want is for you to be happy."

Hermione smiled and hugged her mum before grabbing the book she came for and following her back downstairs.

The following day Ginny arrived back sooner than she had expected to receive permission for. Hermione and Harry were still training with Craig, but had left the back door unlocked for her just in case. She felt a bit strange being in the house by herself, but Hermione had told her to make herself at home. Although she had eaten already, she started a pot of tea and then decided to try working the telly on her own.

When Hermione and Harry got back, they smiled at the sight of a comfortable, pureblood witch sprawled on the sofa with tea watching morning game shows. They said hello and each came over to kiss her cheeks before heading for the shower. When they reappeared with happy smiles forty minutes later, she just shook her head and tried to ignore the burn low in her belly that started when she thought about them in the shower together.

The rest of the day was spent quietly at the house. The trio spent time reading, but also talking and enjoying the warm summer day out in the back garden. Hermione began showing Ginny some basic karate moves and they were still practicing when Augusta arrived to pick Harry up. He left them behind to attend his tea at Longbottom Manor. While he preferred to have Hermione by his side, she had pointed out that he needed to stand on his own as well and could certainly handle a simple meeting without her.

Upon arriving at the manor, Augusta led Harry into an airy glass conservatory off the kitchen. Neville was waiting, carefully watering a few of the exotic plants that lined the room. An elf popped in a minute later with a tea service and then left as Neville greeted his friend and they all took seats.

"I hope you don't mind Neville sitting in Lord Potter. I want him to observe all manner of house business."

"No, that's fine Madam. Neville has been quite helpful in helping me to prepare for taking on my responsibilities."

While Augusta poured tea, Harry and Neville traded a bit of news before she focused her attention on Harry. Her gaze was scrutinizing and Harry had to exert his will not to squirm, deciding it was best to get down to business.

"Madam, I asked for this meeting to discuss one aspect of my recent ascendancy to the role of Lord Potter. While I am able to take on monetary and business responsibilities, the Potter seat on the Wizengamot is not open to me for two more years. Headmaster Dumbledore, as my magical guardian, appointed himself as the proxy for the seat years ago. Being that he is Chief Warlock, this seems to be a conflict of interest, although I know there are no actual laws against it. I've come to question more than a few of Albus Dumbledore's choices regarding my life and circumstances lately and I don't feel comfortable with letting the proxy remain in his care. After discussion with Hermione and several others that I trust, your name was mentioned as a respected and fair individual. I believe I might like to request that you take the role, but I had a few questions first."

Harry paused as he and Augusta assessed each other. She gave him a nod as she sipped her tea and he continued.

"I know that you have sat the Longbottom seat for many years and Neville has spoken fondly of you, but I feel it is best to get to know someone directly. Times are difficult and will only be getting worse. I feel that the influential Potter seat needs to be well represented. I believe you have heard about what occurred at the end of the tournament?"

"Yes. I read the Prophet, but what it didn't say was almost more telling. When Neville returned home, he relayed what you had told him directly. He has spoken well of you for several years and does not doubt you. I will admit it seems a bit unbelievable, but then I had questions that were never fully answered after the attack on you and your parents fourteen years ago. Let me ask you unequivocally now: Did you see Lord Voldemort return to full functioning physical form earlier in the summer?"

Harry felt this was fair and drew his wand to take an oath. Touching it to his house ring, he stated firmly:

"I, Lord Harry James Potter, swear on my magic and by the honor of my house that I witnessed the return of Lord Voldemort, also known as Tom Marvolo Riddle, in a cemetery in Little Hangleton at the end of the third task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. I was transported to the cemetery via portkey and my blood was taken to be used in the rite that allowed him to gain a new body."

Harry took his wand off his ring and a brief flash signaled the end of his oath. He then lit his wand, while showing his ring clearly. The official oath of a lord made on house honor could not be faked. If he spoke falsely, the house magic would reject him and the ring would have returned to the family vault. Augusta gave a firm look and nodded.

"Thank you Lord Potter. I hadn't expected that level of oath, but it is appreciated. So, while I am of course distressed by the news, I understand the need for firm action now. So, what else did you need to know of me?"

"What is your personal view regarding muggleborns and their place in our society? What is your view regarding other sentient races such as goblins, centaurs, and merfolk?"

"My view is that magic is magic. I believe those that have magic belong together, even if they are first generation. I am old, so that I don't believe we should regularly mix with muggles. I fear too much mixing will cause a breach of our secrecy. An exception would be immediate family of those with magic. I am smart enough to see what too much inbreeding is doing to our society. Tradition is important and I believe that muggleborns should embrace our traditions and culture once they enter the magical world. It is not different than a person who decides to permanently move to a new country. As for the other races, I believe that we should treat them equitably, but again I feel that mixing too much may diminish their traditions and ours. I think it is foolish that many pureblood families think of the goblins as nothing more than animals and then hand all their money to them."

Harry pondered that reply for a moment. Augusta wasn't as progressive as he had hoped, but she was a different generation. Still, he felt that her viewpoint was fair and he could work with it.

"Alright, I can understand that. Now, if I was to name you as my proxy, would you have an issue voting the Potter seat different from your vote as the Longbottom seat if we disagreed? Although I am naming a proxy and I know I have a lot to learn, I still want to discuss all major votes beforehand."

"That is a more difficult question. I believe I could keep the votes separate unless I feel that your stance would severely undermine the traditions and history of the wizarding world. Any votes that are that impacting would have a one month warning to all members. That would give us time for discussion and, if we couldn't come to an agreement, you would have time to seek a replacement proxy."

"Interesting. I can accept that and I think we can work together. Before I make you the offer of my proxy, I want to bring up one specific matter that I will be asking for my proxy to make a motion on. I am sure you know the history of Sirius Black and his supposed betrayal of my parents. I need to now tell you that the known history is a lie…"

Harry proceeded with the full story of what happened during his third year and the revelations regarding Peter Pettigrew, how he escaped, and the role he played during Voldemort's resurrection. By the end, she was looking like she wanted something stronger to drink.

"That is an amazing story Lord Potter, but why did none of this come out in the trial? As the heir to House Black, Sirius could have insisted on veritaserum questioning."

"The reason is because there never was a trial. Sirius was locked away simply due to the supposed preponderance of evidence. The first motion I would like my proxy to make is for a full review of Sirius' case by the DMLE. I will be willing to submit my memories and Sirius will surrender if he is guaranteed a fair trial."

For the first time, Augusta remained completely silent. After a long minute, she shook her head.

"That's an outrage! To lock up the heir to and Ancient and Noble House without trial? I can guarantee that I would be happy to assist in remedying that injustice."

"Excellent. I think we can work together then. So, Madam Longbottom, will you serve as proxy for House Potter until the time of my majority or until such time as we mutually decide to sever our agreement?"

"Yes, Lord Potter, I agree to serve as your proxy."

"Thank you. I believe then that we will both need to appear and make the arrangement formal at the next meeting of the Wizengamot on August the 23rd?"

Augusta confirmed and agreed. With the official business out of the way, the three talked for a few more minutes. Then Harry accepted Neville's offer to tour his greenhouse. An hour later, Augusta returned Harry back to the Grangers.

Ginny stayed for dinner once again and then Arthur retrieved her. After checking with her parents, Hermione made the offer for her to return in a couple of days and stay for a long weekend. Ginny asked her father immediately and forced him to give an answer before they left. He saw nothing wrong with the request and she was glad to have bypassed her mum.

The next couple of days were spent with their usual exercises and Harry felt that he was making good progress. Hermione definitely appreciated his toned physique and he certainly had no complaints either. After a few weeks of regular running, weight training, karate, swimming, and defense practice, they were showing the results. Also, for the first summer since his parents died, Harry was eating regular meals interspersed with healthy snacks in between their different sessions. Neil made a comment that he could practically watch Harry growing and Jean declared that another shopping trip would be needed before the summer was out. Although he wanted to deny it, Harry realized the same. Not that he minded entirely. Adding a bit of height would be nice. He didn't need to be as tall as Ron, but at least he was no longer fearful of always being the smallest in his peer group.

Friday arrived and Arthur dropped Ginny off in the morning. She came with a small bag and planned to stay four days, the most her mum would allow. She later told Hermione that her mum had not been happy to find out that Arthur had approved the trip before consulting her. She immediately joined Harry and Hermione for breakfast as they discussed their plans for the weekend. As they finished, Harry felt it was time to have another discussion with the both of them.

"Hermione, Ginny, before you get too far ahead on plans, I want to talk to both of you. It's been a few days since our discussion about relationships and a possible coven. I've done a lot of reading from the books that Hermione gave me and I do feel the magic has great potential. I've also thought about the personal aspect of this and if I could foresee myself in a long term relationship with a large number of women. While it won't be easy, I've decided that I am willing to try. Hermione will also be my first and her decisions are equal with mine. I don't want to say that anyone will be second and I will do my best to treat everyone fairly, but anyone who joins us will need to know that. If you both still want to try, then I'd like to have our first official date all together tonight. I made a reservation at Italia Trattoria tonight at seven if you both would agree to accompany me. In the future I know it will be important for everyone to have individual time, but for now I would like the three of us to go together."

Hermione grinned and jumped into Harry's lap to kiss him. Then she grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her over. The three traded kisses and Ginny smiled at both of them.

"I'm in Harry. I do have one question. You obviously like seeing Mione and me together. How is this going to work between the witches? As far as how I feel, I want to date both of you. I have no problem with having a boyfriend and a girlfriend."

"That's my feeling as well Gin. I don't know how other women will feel. Some may want just Harry, although in rituals that won't be possible. With sex magic, everyone participates together. Harry?"

"From what I've read Mione, anyone who wants to try this with us is going to have to be open to both ways. I think separating one or two people off will only cause division. It seems a bit hypocritical for me to say that as the only wizard, but that's how I understand it."

"Yes Harry, that's the way it works. That will have to be part of the decision of who to include then."

"Which again, I am leaving up to you Hermione. Knowing you, I'm sure you will take the opinions of the others into account as they join, but yours is still the final say."

Hermione smiled and they all started kissing a bit more before deciding to grab some games and go to the backyard to enjoy the summer day. Before she ducked outside, Hermione made a quick call to her parents' practice to advise them of the plans for dinner. Once Jean heard they were going out, she decided that she and Neil would take a date night as well.

After a pleasant day spent mixing fun and reading, the threesome spent the late afternoon back at the community pool before returning shortly before five. Harry had already advised the guard outside of the plans for the night. The restaurant he had selected was one that Neil mentioned was a favorite of Hermione's and was about a fifteen minute drive from the house. Harry planned on calling a taxi and going non-magical for the evening.

Shortly before six, Harry was handed his clothes and banished from the bedroom so that the girls could get ready. The restaurant he had selected was nice, but not formal, and he had decided on khaki trousers and a short sleeve silk shirt in a shimmery teal color. The shirt was a perfect fit to show off his developing muscles. Then he noticed that the trousers were a bit short. Not bad, but definitely showed his recent growth and he realized that Jean had been right in her assessment.

While he waited, Harry decided to step out to the garden and clipped a couple of flowers before returning back to sit in the living room. He didn't have long to wait when both girls came down the stairs looking perfect in sundresses. Hermione's was a buttery yellow with white lace detail on the bottom hem that skimmed her mid-thigh, as well as on the cap sleeves. Ginny's dress was white and a bit longer with wide shoulder straps and a smattering of embroidered flowers in multiple colors across the bodice. Both wore their hair pinned up in different styles and Harry couldn't get the grin off his face. Then he remembered the flowers and decided to offer the white gardenia to Hermione, while he gave the dark pink peony to Ginny, helping them to pin the flowers into their hair. As he was fixing the flowers, Jean and Neil came out of their bedroom, also dressed for their own dinner. They had offered to drive, but Harry insisted on not pressuring their schedule and taking a cab. The Grangers admired both girls' outfits and then Harry led them outside to where their taxi was just arriving. If Neil seemed a bit puzzled at the trio, he didn't say anything and Jean didn't offer any comments.

Dinner for the trio was delicious and wonderful as they lingered long over the multiple courses. Although they were obviously underage, the restaurant served them each a glass of mild sangria with the main course. It was the first time Ginny had tried wine and only Harry's second, but they both enjoyed the light buzz it provided. Harry had mentally prepared himself to be careful to pay attention to both girls equally, but soon found that it wasn't as difficult as he had expected. Hermione was still his love, but Ginny was fun and he found the partnering seemed to settle in easily.

Once they were all completely stuffed, the three teenagers left the restaurant and decided to go for a walk around the small area where the restaurant was located. It was in a chic, redeveloped village that modeled the modern shops to look like Old England, complete with cobble paths and flickering gas lights. It was a warm Friday night and a number of couples were wandering around the shops, which had been situated around a large, artificial pond. The pond featured a small dock with boat rentals and Harry rented a four person paddle boat that they took out on the moonlit water for a while. After, they wandered back arm in arm to a valet and called for a cab back home.

When they arrived back at the Grangers, Jean and Neil were curled up together watching an old movie on the telly and turned around when the door opened.

"Hi mum, dad, we're back."

"You look happy. Good time?"

"Yes mum, they finished the shopping center around the trattoria. It's quite nice and even has a pond with paddle boats."

"Really? Your father and I will need to go check it out."

"We'll let you get back to your movie, good night."

Hermione went to give her parents hugs and Harry and Ginny said good night as well. Then the threesome made their way upstairs. Ginny's bag was in the guest room and they all paused outside Hermione's door as Ginny turned to say goodnight before continuing on to her room. The threesome all traded long kisses and Ginny felt herself begin to burn, but she knew she didn't want to rush the relationship. When she turned around, Hermione looked a bit wistful before taking Harry's hand and going to their room.

Once they were in the room, Hermione turned her focus on her boyfriend and began to undress him. He looked yummy in the form fitting silk shirt and she had been waiting to get him alone all night. Harry noticed a bit of hesitancy though.

"You want to be with Ginny too, don't you?"

"Yes. I've missed her. Which is strange since I've been so happy with you, but she and I both know better than to rush our unusual relationship."

"I think that's a good idea. Although I honestly might not mind before too long."

Hermione looked at Harry's smirk and shook her head.

"What? I'm a teenage male. My logic says to go slow. My hormones keep giving me all kinds of other thoughts."

"Well, perhaps I should refocus your thoughts then…"

As they each finished undressing each other, Harry's brain lost enough blood that other thoughts left him and he focused only on pleasuring the witch in his arms.

o-o-o-o-o

 **A quick note. I've had a few comments on the level of activities for the ages of the participants, as well as the Grangers' acceptance and apparent tolerance. First, teenagers vary widely in their sexual maturity and I don't think fourteen or fifteen is unreasonable at all. As for parents, some can actually be tolerant. Then again, I was born in the mid seventies to a single mother liberal ex-hippie.**


	8. Potter Properties

Chapter 8 – Potter Properties

The following day was Saturday and saw a break in their usual schedule to make a special trip that had been planned throughout the week, waiting for the weekend when the Grangers could join as well. Harry thought it was time to visit Potter Manor, but was a bit hesitant about what to expect. After their usual run, shower and breakfast, all five of them gathered together in the living room as Harry looped a chain in his lord's ring and then each person took hold of it. The Grangers were looking a bit dubious, especially since they knew the portkey was going to take them three to four hours away in a near instant. With everyone holding on, Harry touched his wand to his ring and then said 'Potter Manor'. Immediately, the familiar tug came as everyone was pulled out of the Grangers' house. Seconds later they landed in a large entry hall. Hermione and Ginny managed to stay on their feet by hanging onto each other, but the other three all stumbled. Jean looked quite green, but her attention was soon taken from her queasy stomach when she gasped at the sight of a strange creature standing in front of her. The house elf looked quite happy and immediately bowed as he welcomed them.

"Lord Potter has returned! Welcome sir!"

"Hello, please stand up. There's no need to bow. I'm Harry and I'd prefer to be called just by my name. Are you Milly, the head elf?"

"Yes indeed Lord Harry. And I knew who you were immediately. I remember you as a baby. We have been waiting for you to return."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry I don't remember. Who else is we?"

As soon as Harry asked, three more elves popped in and started to bow until Harry stopped them. Milly looked to the first and began introductions.

"This is Jora, she is in charge of the kitchen and vegetable garden, but her duties have been limited with no lord so she has helped with the cleaning as needed. Next is Ting, she is in charge of housekeeping. Dary here takes care of the grounds and maintenance. My duties usually include assisting the lord, but have also been limited with no lord, so I help the others as needed. We've done our best to keep the manor in repair as we awaited your return. Mr. Dumbledore sent an elf messenger who said it would be a number of years. There were originally two more, but they were both quite old."

Harry withheld his feelings on Dumbledore's interference in yet another area of his life as he decided to focus on the manor instead.

"Thank you for the introductions. Now, can you tell me a bit about the manor? I received very little information from Gringotts."

"Certainly, the main manor consists of three floors and the basement. The main floor are the public areas, including the formal and family dining rooms, family gathering room, great hall and ballroom, game room, office, two parlors, and the library. The second floor includes the children and guest spaces. There are six children's suites, three guest suites, a classroom, and a large playroom. The third floor is the lord's private quarters, including your suite, a lady's suite, a private office, a private living area, and three additional bedroom suites. The basement includes the kitchen, as well as cellars for wine, food and other storage. Also, one corner of the basement is part of the library. When the library became overcrowded, your grandfather updated it to make it two stories, extending down to the basement."

Hermione's eyes began to glaze as the library was described and Harry pulled her too him to try to get her attention again. Behind them, Neil let out a low whistle as the size of the manor was described. Then Milly continued with his introduction to the property.

"Outside of the main manor, the property totals a bit over 230 hectares. About 42 hectares were originally fields with the orchard taking another 12 hectares. There are five surviving bungalows that were originally for the field workers. In addition, there are four guest houses of different sizes where either large parties or longer term guests stayed. In past history, allies also utilized them in times of war. There are stables that can accommodate up to sixteen horses, although there are no horses here now. There is also an exercise wing off the east corner of the manor with an attached walkway. That building includes a gym, training facility and indoor pool. There is an outdoor pool that has been left dry and covered for a number of years as well. There is also a garage with several vehicles that your grandfather and great-grandfather collected. Most of the buildings have been left under elf stasis charms and we check in on them periodically every couple of months or after a major storm. Here in the manor, we have done much the same to keep the maintenance down. When repairs have been needed, Gringotts is authorized to arrange for outside help for items such as the roof. It will be good to see life come back to the manor."

Everyone took a bit to absorb all the information. Harry had never dreamed that his family would have a place like this. He may not have a chance to use it much for a while, but it was time he started to pay some attention.

"Alright, thank you for the summary Milly. I have quite a bit too look around then. I must tell you that I am not going to be taking up residence immediately. I should make introductions first, my apologies. This lovely witch is my girlfriend Hermione Granger, these are her parents Neil and Jean Granger, and this is our good friend Ginny Weasley. I am staying with the Grangers for the summer. With less than a month left before school resumes, I don't think I really need to move. Perhaps we could spend Christmas here?"

Harry turned to the Grangers and looked at Hermione. He was smiling and Neil gave a nod while Jean replied.

"That sounds good Harry. As long as we are together is what matters. And I think it would be good for you to spend the holiday in your family home."

"That's decided then. We'll plan on coming here for the Christmas break. I'm sorry if this delay disappoints you Milly. We will be visiting. I know for a fact that Hermione will want to see the library."

"Very good Lord Harry, I understand. Perhaps you might want to modify the wards to allow for those you trust to come and go without you? Right now the repelling wards are not affecting your friends because they are with you. If you were to even leave the room, they would feel an instant and unpleasant desire to flee the property."

"Indeed. We need to take care of that."

"Please follow me to the lord's public office. It is just off the library."

The group followed the elf through the entry and to the east side of the house. They entered a room paneled in light walnut with a large desk, several bookshelves, and a comfortable grouping of chairs around a meeting table. Milly walked over to the wall behind the desk, where the Potter crest was inlaid into the wall.

"Lord Harry, please come and place your hand flat on the crest, ensuring that your ring finger and signet touch the crest. Once you do, push your magic forward and you will feel the wards. Then state your name and the names of those who you wish to grant access to."

Harry did as instructed and was amazed to feel the layers that encompassed the wards around the property. He stated his name and then stated everyone else who he trusted to have entry, adding not just those present, but also Sirius and Remus. Once that was done, he turned back around to Milly.

"Now Lord Harry, do you wish to see the rest of the manor?"

Harry nodded and the group followed the elf on the tour. The library was the closest and it was amazing. They walked in on what was essentially the second level of the room, which had a large walkway circling an open center that looked down to the bottom level. Around the walkway circled walnut bookshelves that were ten feet high. The only exception was on one side, where the bookshelves gave way for enormous floor to ceiling windows that flooded light into the space. At two points around the ring, spiral stairs descended down to the lower level. On this level the entire room was ringed with ten foot high bookshelves again. Milly showed one wall that slid aside to show a doorway out to the rest of the basement. The center of the room included a large trestle table for spreading out study materials, as well as three different seating areas that included comfortable sofas and chairs. Hermione looked like she wanted to stay forever, but conceded to leaving for the rest of the tour. Milly spent an hour and a half just showing them the main manor and exercise wing.

Once the tour was done, everyone decided they needed a break and the elves were ready with a welcoming lunch that was served on the back veranda. As they ate, Harry insisted that Milly sit with them so that he could talk more about the manor. He also needed to find out more about his second main property.

"Milly, I was also told by Gringotts that I have an island property, Potter Cay. Do you help there as well? Can you tell me about it?"

"Yes, the four of us go between here and the island. Potter elves can travel between Potter properties without a drain in our magic, despite the great distance. It is a lovely place and your grandfather loved to escape English winters and go to the island. The island is 38 hectares, most of which is undeveloped. The main house is set overlooking the south cove, which offers a protected area to swim. Just to the west of the cove are reefs that are good for diving. The north side of the island has deeper waters and includes a large boat house. The main house is much simpler than the manor with just four bedrooms. All the buildings are raised several feet and have walkways connecting them. There are four guest houses, two with three bedrooms and two with two bedrooms. The island can comfortably accommodate sixteen to twenty guests. There is room for expansion if you wish. The island has beautiful tropical forests with a natural spring and small creek that runs to the ocean. Fruit trees grow all over and the fishing is wonderful, making the island almost self-sufficient. Would you like to visit there?"

"Definitely. I'd like to take a few days there if we could. Neil, Jean, how do your schedules look?"

"Actually, we were planning on taking some time to spend with Hermione. We hadn't decided where, but the beach was a possibility. Not the Bahamas, someplace closer, but with magical travel I don't see why not. This next week we can work on the schedule and free up the following week. That was actually the week we had been considering and it's mostly clear already. If that works for you Hermione? Ginny is welcome too."

"Yes! Ooh, I love beach vacations."

Harry grinned and turned back to the head elf.

"Well Milly, looks like we're decided. Week after next we'll head for the island. Plan on the five of us and maybe some other friends. What do you think Hermione, is that okay with you? Think some others will want to come?"

"That sounds great Harry. I don't think you will have a problem convincing our friends. Private island retreat for a week courtesy of Lord Potter. I think I'll have to keep a firm grip on you to keep the others off."

Harry laughed and Milly seemed excited at the prospect of having guests. Harry guessed that it had been a lonely number of years for the elves. They discussed a bit more about the island and then refocused back on their current location as they finished lunch.

"Now that my lord has finished his meal, do you want to see the rest of the property? Flying is a good way to get around and see more."

"That sounds excellent. Are there brooms around? What do you say Hermione? I know flying isn't your favorite. If we take your parents, we'll need at least three brooms in the air."

"I think I can manage Harry. It isn't my favorite, but as long as I stay low and we don't try any of the crazy death moves you usually try while playing Quidditch. Mum, dad, interested in going for a broom ride?"

Both the Grangers were enthusiastic and Milly popped down to the basement and returned with a selection of brooms. They were older of course, but all in good repair and suitable for a lazy day of flying. Hermione suggested that her parents go with Ginny and Harry since they were the more accomplished flyers. They paired up men and women and then Hermione mounted her own broom. Harry was surprised when Milly then selected a smaller broom and lead them up into the air. The elf cast a charm so that he could be heard as he guided them and pointed out property boundaries and different areas, often interspersing small details of history about the family and the land. The flight lasted about an hour and then they returned to the main manor. As they were descending, Neil leaned forward to whisper something to Harry. He grinned and looked to where Hermione had just gotten off her broom.

"Mione, your dad wants to see a bit more of what I can do on a broom. Nothing major on this older model, just a bit more than a slow tour."

Before Hermione or Jean could comment, Harry took off nearly straight up as Neil whooped behind him. Hermione covered her eyes while her mother just shook her head. Harry spent the next fifteen minutes doing some speed runs, dives, rolls, and turns to give Neil a glimpse of true flying. When they landed, both were grinning widely.

"Wow Harry! That was bloody fantastic!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it Neil, but that was only about 50% of what I can do on my Firebolt."

"Yes dad, Harry is insane on his own broom. I need to take calming draughts before his matches."

Everyone laughed as Neil still seemed to be unable to get the grin off his face. The afternoon was now wearing on and they decided it was time to return. Milly called all the elves and Harry thanked them for all their work and promised to return soon. Then everyone took hold of the chain while Harry pressed his wand to his ring and said 'return'. Seconds later they were back in the Grangers' living room.

After dinner that night, discussion turned to Harry's second property. With the weekend only half gone, everyone agreed that a beach day would be fun. Normally that required a two hour drive, but everyone was looking forward to the warmer waters of the Caribbean. Harry called for Milly and was happy when the elf was able to respond and apparated into the Grangers. He advised the elf that they would be visiting Potter Cay the following day, but would not be staying overnight. Only a picnic lunch would be welcome.

With the plans decided, everyone decided to go on to bed. Ginny separated from Harry and Hermione in the hall after all three of them snogged for a few minutes. Since they had been with the Grangers all day, they had kept their affections limited.

Everyone slept in a bit on Sunday and then enjoyed a quick breakfast. Neil had agreed to forgo the run since everyone planned on swimming a lot later in the day. Everyone dressed in swimsuits with shorts over and then gathered around Harry as he once again looped the chain in his ring. This time he changed their destination to Potter Cay as everyone felt the tug that signaled the beginning of their travel.

The travel time was markedly longer than going to the manor had been, but that was to be expected. They arrived a couple of minutes later, landing on soft sand, looking at the front of a raised old plantation style home. The building was white with turquoise blue accents around the windows and doors. The entire building was flanked by a wide porch that connected to walkways that extended around the property. The railings featured an criss-cross lattice detail that added a bit of design to the simple, breezy style. A wide set of seven stairs led up to the front door, but before they continued on to the house, they instead turned to look behind them. They were greeted by a perfect white sand beach that seemed to be slightly tinged in pink. They were standing at a protected cove and could see a semi-circle of reef about 120 meters off shore. The reef's protection offered a pleasant bay of turquoise blue that was made for swimming. Along the edges, palms and several other fruit trees led into gradually thickening forest. The grounds around the house also featured a number of bushes and tropical flowers could be seen everywhere. The air was scented by them and mixed with the tang of the sea in an intoxicating blend. Everyone stood entranced for a moment before Milly's slight apparition pop turned their attention back to the house.

"Lord Potter, welcome to Potter Cay!"

"Hi Milly, this place is beautiful. Can you show us around please?"

The elf bounced excitedly and led them up the wide stairs to the main house. The house was good size, but nothing compared to the manor. It was a single story situated around the central living space, which included an open kitchen, large dining area, and two seating areas. Off to both sides of the central area were wings that each had two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. The entire house featured vaulted white washed ceilings and windows that could be opened wide to allow cross breezes throughout. Along with the main door, there were doors at either end of the building off the bedroom wings that connected to the walkway/porch that encompassed and connected all the buildings. On the west end, the porch widened to accommodate a massive hot tub that was sunk into the decking. Two guest houses extended on the west end, while two more were on the east end of the main house. Each guest house was self sufficient with a small kitchen and living area, as well as bedrooms that were all en suite.

Once they finished the main tour, Milly led them down a shell lined path on the east end of the house. The path ended at a large storage building that was partially hidden among the trees. Inside the building was an impressive array of equipment, everything from snorkeling gear to volleyballs and beach umbrellas. Everyone was ready to swim and divided up to select gear. Milly then took everything and apparated it back to the main beach. He then set up the umbrellas and laid out towels. By the time everyone joined him back at the cove, he also had provided them with tall, cold glasses of fruit juice. Harry thanked him profusely and then everyone began removing their outer clothing before making their way to dive into the warm Caribbean waters.

The next several hours were spent in the water and laying on the beach. With the help of sunscreen charms, everyone tanned nicely without burning. Harry thought he was in heaven as he splashed and frolicked with two pretty girls. They all utilized the snorkel equipment and were amazed at the range of sea life along the reef.

Around one in the afternoon, everyone took a break when the Potter elves served lunch at one of the large tables that was situated on the porch for outside dining. After they were all stuffed, Harry wanted to see more of the island and Milly led them on a hike around the eastern point, cutting back through the central jungle part of the island, before ending up at the north shore and boat dock. The island had a wide diversity of plant life, as well as a lot of birds, small lizards and some turtles that they found at the spring and freshwater pond that was in the center of the island.

Rounding the point, the group was struck by the sight of the massive boat house that, although painted grey, was still a striking a monstrosity set along the water's edge. Once inside, it was obvious the reason for the size. It was primarily sized due to Harry's 60 meter yacht that was housed within. Harry found he had an amazing array of water craft, all of which had been kept under stasis charms by the elves. Along with the yacht, he had a 15 meter sailboat, two smaller speedboats, a dozen kayaks, eight paddleboards, and four RHIBs. The larger boats were a bit daunting, but Milly assured him that the weather was perfect for kayaking, so everyone picked a kayak, with the Grangers picking a double, and made their way out of the boathouse. They launched from the beach and were soon pleasantly rowing along the shoreline of the island. Harry was glad for his recent training, as he felt the rowing working his muscles differently than what he was used to. After an hour in the kayaks, they returned them to the boat house and then hiked back around to the cove. After another hour in the water, they called an end to the day and portkeyed back to the Grangers' house.

That night the five residents at the Granger house talked over dinner about their trip the week after next to the island. Ginny's birthday was the next Friday and her mother had a birthday lunch planned for Saturday with the whole family, as well as a few friends. Harry and Hermione had been invited and Ginny included the Grangers, assured that her dad would happily collect them. The decision was then made to go to the island that evening. With the time difference, it would put them on the island around mid-day. Ginny still had to get permission, but she knew her mum still hadn't selected a birthday present for her and decided that she would ask for permission in lieu of a present. It may be a bit underhanded, but she had to find a way around her mum, who still wasn't happy that her dad had given permission for the extended stay at the Grangers. Molly Weasley would have been fine to have long term guests herself, but letting her own children out from under her thumb was different. With the plans in the works, everyone grew excited. The ladies all agreed that they needed to go shopping for new swimwear. Harry and Neil were smart and remained quiet on the subject.

After dinner, everyone played board games for a while and then Hermione dragged Ginny upstairs with the intention of deciding on a guest list, a task that Harry had left for her. He knew that a secondary goal to the invites was to see what witches might fit well in their future plans. He trusted Hermione to decide, as she knew him as well as anyone.

Once they were upstairs, Hermione and Ginny sat cross legged on her bed as Hermione pulled out notepads and ball point pens. Ginny had seen the devices used in passing, but it was her first time to try them herself and she was immediately impressed.

"Wow Hermione. These are so much easier than ink and parchment. Why don't we use these? Are they expensive?"

"Hardly. I can buy a pack of a dozen cheap pens for a couple of pounds, maybe about three sickles. A single notepad about this size is about the same amount. Of course, there are fancy pens that are refillable, those can range from maybe the equivalent of a galleon to twenty or thirty for fancy, collectible types that only solicitors and such use. What do we spend on ink and parchment per school year, maybe twenty galleons? The problem I think though is that there are old pureblood families who own the businesses that make the parchment and ink."

Ginny shook her head and they refocused on the task as Hermione showed Ginny her current list of potential future coven members.

"Alright, this was my first try. I have them divided by house and year. In Gryffindor, you of course. Then Lavender, Parvati, and Katie. I thought about Angie and Alicia, but they're dating the twins and I think at least Angie is serious. After talking to Katie at the party, I'm not entirely sure. She seems very focused on a future Quidditch career. Lavender I crossed off immediately. I tried not to let my prejudice interfere, but her superficial focus puts Harry off. Parvati is similar, although not as bad. I left her because I think if we brought Padma in having twins could add a powerful component. Then I was talking to Luna at the party and she made a passing comment on Padma. She never bullied Luna, but she looked the other way when others did and basically shunned her. I can't stand that and since I was already unsure with Parvati, I crossed both of them off. What do you think? Am I being too picky?"

"Can you be too picky with what you are planning? This group will need power to perform the rituals to rid of us of Voldemort. Not to mention we will most likely be bound together for a long time. I can understand your decision on the twins. Anyone who allows bullying is not someone I would pick. If this moves forward completely, our group will become known and we will have to stand up to criticism."

"Alright, let's move on to Ravenclaw then…"

"Wait, what about your last dorm mate, Fay?"

"Oh, you probably don't know. She's betrothed to Gordon Davies, Roger's older brother. He graduated during my third year."

Ginny hadn't known and nodded as they moved on to Ravenclaw.

"Alright, first in Ravenclaw that I put on the list is Luna. Honestly, she puzzles me at times, but she is loyal and true. We also know from rumors that she is open to different types of relationships. I'm not looking at anyone below your year. Next, I've crossed off Cho. After what happened with Cedric, there's too much baggage. Also, Luna gets a sad look when I mention her. Honestly, finding someone in Ravenclaw who has been nice to Luna will be hard. The only other Ravenclaw that I am comfortable with putting on the list is Su Li. She's a bit of an unknown and wasn't able to come to the party, but maybe we can get to know her better."

"Alright, I'll go with you on that. I was upset when Luna told us at the party about some of what is going on in Ravenclaw. She and I aren't as close as we were when we were younger, but she doesn't deserve what they've done to her."

"Next, Hufflepuff. I have a harder time here since they tend to be quieter. Their loyalty is a bonus for sure. I've got Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, Megan Jones, and Laura Madley from your year. I've crossed off Laura after the party. She acts a year or two younger than her actual age and we need more maturity. Susan and Hannah are both perfect Hufflepuffs. Megan I am less sure about. If she would talk it would help."

"I agree with that. I have classes with Laura and agree with what you saw. So that leaves Slytherin. Other than Daphne, is there anyone we can trust?"

"I have one other on the list. She's a good friend of Daphne and has Arithmancy with us, Tracey Davis. She's a hard person to know, but I want to leave her on the list to keep things open."

"Alright, so do you want to invite all these girls for the week? Shouldn't we mix some boys in? The island can hold twenty. Harry wants to ask Remus to come as an additional chaperone. He thinks it will help with my mum and others. "

"So that leaves us with three slots for adults, then the three of us. That means fourteen friends. Katie from Gryffindor, Luna and Su from Ravenclaw, Hannah and Susan from Hufflepuff. Megan?"

"Leave her off for now due to space."

"Alright, then Daphne and Tracey from Slytherin. That gives us seven more girls and leaves six spots open. Ron is invited of course and Neville. I suppose the other two from Harry's dorm, Seamus and Dean. What about Fred and George?"

"They might come for a day, but they've been busy with Lee. They really are getting serious about their joke shop venture. How about Colin from my year?"

"Alright. He did seem to calm down some at the party. I think that's a good mix. No one said we needed to fill every bed."

"Sounds good. So you confirm the list with Harry and then send invites tomorrow? Meanwhile when I go home, I start working on mum."

They both agreed and talked a bit longer before a knock at the door signaled Harry's arrival after finishing his chess game with Neil. When he came in the room and saw the two of them sprawled on the bed with notes and books, he smiled.

"Hello lovelies. It's getting late. Am I allowed in now?"

"Yes Harry. In fact, we've finished the list of invitees for the island. Here, take a look and tell me what you think."

Harry took the list and glanced through quickly before handing it back.

"Sure, looks fine. Between two brilliant and gorgeous witches, who am I to argue?"

Harry moved a book aside and sat down next to Hermione. She gathered the papers and set everything to the side as Harry moved closer and started nuzzling her neck. Soon they were leaning back as their kisses deepened. Ginny sighed and made to move off the bed, only to have Hermione reach out and grab her arm to pull her closer. Then Hermione turned to Ginny and pulled her into a long kiss that left Harry drooling. Hermione then released her to Harry, who began to snog Ginny as Hermione feathered kisses along her neck. The three were lying in a pile of exploring hands and mouths as they let passion start to claim them. Then a knock at the door broke them apart. Hermione took a second to catch her breath and then called for the person at the door to enter. Thankfully, it was just her mum. Jean stepped in and smirked at the three rumpled teenagers.

"I just came up to say good night to everyone."

Hermione climbed off the bed and went to hug her mum and say goodnight. As she did, Jean whispered in her ear.

"I hope you are sure about what you are doing dear."

Hermione just smiled and nodded. Harry then said good night as well while Ginny excused herself to the guest room across the hall. Jean left a minute later and paused as Hermione's door closed behind her. She stopped to look at the half open door to the guest room and thought she needed to talk to the youngest member of her daughter's unusual relationship. A light knock brought Ginny's summons. She looked briefly surprised to see Jean, but welcomed her in.

"Ginny, I've talked to Hermione, but I want to talk to you as well. You're in our care while you are visiting and I am a bit concerned at how young you are. You're not yet fifteen. You're a wonderful young woman and I don't want to see you get in over your head."

"I appreciate the concern Mrs. Granger, but I'm fine, we all are. I know this seems strange, but it's working for us. I may be young, but I'm not inexperienced with either women or men. And the three of us have a strong friendship to build on. I would appreciate if you don't talk to my parents about this yet. I will have to tell them eventually, but my mum especially is quite conservative. She still looks at me like I'm ten."

"Well, I can understand a bit since she obviously wanted a daughter very badly. It must be hard to start letting you go. I won't volunteer any information, but I won't lie if they ask directly. I'm glad that you all are basing your relationship on friendship. Please just be careful."

Ginny smiled and accepted a hug from Jean before she left the guest room. Her fears weren't completely resolved, but had calmed a bit.


	9. Potter Cay

**Here's a nice long and juicy chapter for you...**

o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 9 – Potter Cay

The following day was Monday and saw the three teenagers left on their own after the usual morning run and breakfast. Their first task was to work on the invites for everyone for the following week. In the invites they gave suggestions on clothing and supplies. Also, they asked everyone to gather at five Saturday evening at the Leaky. From there they could all portkey to the island. Once the invites were done, they practiced some karate and then decided to catch the Knight Bus to the Leaky.

Once they were at the pub, the threesome made straight for Diagon and the owl post. Hedwig had taken a note to Remus, but there were too many invites to efficiently have her deliver them all. Along with their previous list, Hermione had added both the Weasley and Patil twins. She felt bad leaving Fred and George off the list when their siblings were invited. She knew they would most likely decline, but decided it was good form. Ginny would personally carry the Weasley invites. Hermione was still unsure about the Patils, but wanted to give them a chance and knew there was still space. Once the invites were complete, Harry happily escorted his girls to a sandwich shop for lunch.

After lunch they left Diagon and floo'd to Grimmauld. Sirius was happy to see them and they immediately sat down to discuss the past couple of days. He was happy to hear about them getting away to the island for some usual teenage fun and wished he could attend, but he was still a wanted murderer to most of the wizarding world. Once they finished catching up, everyone went to the basement training room and spent close to two hours working on defensive spells. Once that training was done, Sirius apparated them back to the Grangers in time for their Occlumency training.

Tonks arrived right on time for their training and everyone was making good progress. The Grangers arrived home shortly after and remained quiet as they began preparing dinner. Ginny had barely finished her mind exercises when a pop from the back yard signaled the arrival of her father and her departure for the rest of the week.

During dinner that night the discussion started to revolve around the progress that Harry and Hermione had made with their various trainings. Then Hermione decided to inform Tonks of their upcoming plans.

"By the way Tonks, we want to keep practicing, but we won't be home next week. We're taking a week at Potter Cay. It's Harry's family's island in the Caribbean. We've invited a group of our school mates along as well."

"Nice. That should be fun. I was actually going to ask for a reschedule next week anyway, but it looks like we won't have to worry. I have to testify on a case early in the week. I'll be glad to get it wrapped though, as I've been working a lot of overtime with this one. I actually coerced my boss to give me a couple of days off next week myself."

"That sounds good. So what are your plans for your time off?"

"Sleeping in. Gods, it will be great."

Hermione laughed and chewed her lip as she thought. A quick look at Harry and he gave her a nod.

"Actually Tonks, there is another option. We haven't filled every bed yet and I think we will most likely have a few people who can only make it for part of the time. Do you want to come catch up on your sleep at the beach?"

"Really? That sounds brilliant. How do we get to your island Harry?"

"The only way in is by my lord's portkey. I had been planning to come back and collect people as needed. We're using the Leaky as our gathering point. We haven't gotten the exact times for late arrivals figured out yet."

"Well, I'll happily accept. So this island of yours is definitely secure? Dumbledore will worry you know."

"Yes, unplottable and completely warded. It hasn't even appeared on muggle maps in a few hundred years and only a Potter can take people along with a portkey."

Tonks agreed that it sounded plenty secure and was soon caught up in the infectious anticipation for the following week. As the night drew late, she excused herself and before long everyone was off to their beds after the long day.

The rest of week went by quickly with the usual running, weight training, swimming, and karate. Mixed in were times of relaxing in the back yard reading. Throughout the week replies to the invites gradually filtered in and most accepted. The Patil twins declined, as they were packing to go on a family vacation when the invite arrived. Also Tracey Davis declined due to 'family concerns'. Her note was vague and Hermione thought she would talk to Daphne about it. Su Li had accepted for the first two days, but then had other obligations. Seamus was busy with a summer job in Ireland, but Dean had accepted. Finally, Fred and George had declined for the whole week as Ginny expected, but agreed to come visit during a couple of days. Harry told them Lee would be welcome to come with them as well. The invites to the girls had also included a note from Hermione about 'muggle swimwear being the norm' and offered for anyone who wanted to join on a shopping trip to come visit. Daphne, Luna, and Susan all replied with enthusiasm to the suggestion and plans were made for Thursday.

On Thursday Ginny returned to visit for the day with the excuse that she wanted to continue Occlumency training in the evening with Tonks. Arthur brought her as usual on his way to work. About an hour later Daphne arrived with her mother and then Luna and Susan arrived on the Knight Bus. Jean had rearranged her schedule so that she was off by early afternoon to take the girls shopping . At lunch that day, Harry had a surprise for Ginny when he presented her with a birthday card.

"Harry, you're a bit early."

"I know, but go ahead and open it and it will make sense."

Ginny did as requested and gasped as several good size bills fluttered out of the card. Once she had gathered it all, it totaled 200 pounds. She hugged and kissed Harry enthusiastically before pulling back to question him.

"Thank you, but this is a bit much. I'm still learning the conversion rate. I think it's about nine galleons?"

"I guess and I don't care about the cost Ginny. You're worth it. I know you had a bit saved up for shopping this afternoon, but I thought you could use more. Also, I know about the issue with your mum and modern swimwear so I will have another smaller gift for you on Saturday. That way she doesn't need to know about this."

Ginny thanked Harry and then snogged him again. Daphne and Susan were both looking a bit perplexed when they finally separated. Luna was nonplussed as always. Ginny had been careful since the other girls had arrived and hadn't been affectionate with Harry, since they still thought Hermione was his lone girlfriend. Seeing the looks coming at her, Ginny figured an explanation was in order.

"Alright, I got a bit too excited there and it looks like our secret is out. The three of us are all together now. We're testing out a multiple relationship. So far it is working well. I'd appreciate if you didn't say anything for now."

Susan readily agreed, but Daphne seemed to struggle for a moment before giving a nod. With lunch done, the six teenagers retreated to the living room for a movie. It was still something new for the purebloods and soon everyone was too enthralled to notice how Harry was comfortably ensconced between his two girlfriends. The movie had about ten minutes left when Jean arrived. She sat down briefly and waited until the movie finished. Once it did, she gathered five excited young witches and left to go shopping, leaving Harry in a very quiet house. In the past at the Dursleys, Harry had always enjoyed the peace of a quiet house, but he soon found that to no longer be the case. Determined to make use of his time, he decided to meditate for a while.

By the time the shopping expedition returned, Harry had dinner well underway. Neil had arrived home not long before and was sitting at the counter talking to him while he cooked. When the girls got home, they immediately headed upstairs to talk. Daphne was also leaving her new purchases with Hermione since her parents would not be too happy with muggle fashions. A bare fifteen minutes later, she was picked up by her mother. Susan and Luna stayed longer, interested to see what Occlumency training included. After the training, they joined the Grangers for dinner. When Arthur arrived to collect Ginny, he offered to take each of them back to the Burrow, where they could then floo to their homes.

That night Harry was getting ready for bed and noticed the bags from the shopping trip. Curious, he was about to peek when Hermione grabbed a bag from him with a laugh.

"No you don't mister! Wait for your surprise."

Harry looked a bit disgruntled until Hermione wrapped her arms around him and he soon forgot about anything but her.

Saturday finally arrived and the morning seemed to drag as Hermione and Harry waited to go to the Burrow for Ginny's birthday luncheon. At 11:30 promptly, Arthur arrived with his oldest son and the two of them each took two others and apparated back to the Burrow.

The Burrow was decorated with garland and balloons and was already starting to fill when they arrived. The party was being held on the long picnic tables in the garden, and buckets of cold butterbeers were sitting on either end. As all of the friends began to gather, talk began about the upcoming vacation to Potter Cay, which was being eagerly anticipated by all. When Molly started to bring dishes out, she looked a bit unhappy, but soon covered by returning to the kitchen. Ginny watched her and then turned to Harry, who she was being careful to not be affectionate with.

"Mum still isn't too pleased about the trip Harry. Except dad agreed to it and it was the only thing I asked for as a present. She's been hinting about being allowed to come and chaperone, but I told her the island isn't as big as Potter Manor and space is limited. Don't worry about it though, she'll get over it."

Harry nodded, not entirely surprised by Mrs. Weasley's attitude. He wanted to take Ginny in his arms, but their relationship still wasn't widely known. The Grangers had been cautioned against saying anything, which they didn't like, but finally agreed to unless they were directly questioned.

Lunch was served shortly after noon and included all of Ginny's favorites. As usual, there was half again more food than needed. Just as everyone started to groan from full bellies, the large chocolate cake decorated in cream and purple icing floated out from the kitchen. Ginny blew out her candles and then dove into the amazing confection. Once the cake was done, she opened her gifts and then suggested a bit of activity to counteract all the food. The majority of guests agreed and soon two Quidditch teams were formed and headed to the back pasture to play a round. By four in the afternoon the party drew to a close and everyone began leaving. Most were just going home for bags. The Grangers and Harry had brought theirs with them, so they used the time to help with cleanup. At ten minutes until five, Ginny hugged her parents and everyone said goodbye as they stepped through the floo to the Leaky Cauldron.

When they appeared at the Leaky, Katie and Colin were already waiting. Gradually others began to arrive by floo, bus, and apparition. Once everyone was in place, Harry looped the chain in his ring and everyone grabbed hold before he activated the portkey.

A couple of minutes later the group all landed on the warm sands of Potter Cay. Some remained standing, while others piled on the ground. All the Potter house elves were waiting to welcome them, excited to have so many people to look after. Once everyone was standing again, Milly began the tour and Hermione began helping assign rooms. In the main house were the Grangers, Ginny, Harry and Remus, while three of the guest houses were designated for the other witches and the fourth house was designated for the wizards. Within a half hour of arriving, everyone had changed into swimwear and made their way to the beach. Although it was lunchtime on the island, lunch in England hadn't been that long ago so the elves provided light snacks and cold drinks at the beach.

Harry was one of the last ones to make it out to the water since he had been discussing meals with the elves. Once he finished, he stepped out and his eyes immediately searched for his girlfriends. What he saw made him stop in his tracks. Both girls were wearing bikinis. Hermione's was a shimmery purple, while Ginny's was a jade green with a batik pattern. They were fairly modest as bikinis went, but still showed plenty and Harry wasn't the only young wizard who was drooling. Of course, Daphne, Luna and Hannah were also in bikinis, while Katie and Susan both opted for one piece suits that hugged their curves delightfully. The island may have been stunning, but at that moment all eyes were on the fleshly beauties.

After spending a bit of time splashing in the water and laying on the beach, Harry took most of the group to the equipment building for supplies. Some of the equipment needed to be explained and then almost everyone picked out snorkeling gear. A volleyball set was also selected and Milly had it set up in seconds. Harry and his girlfriends opted to snorkel the reef first. Then he played volleyball with most of the group. Susan, Daphne, and Hermione sat the game out and instead watched from the side while chatting among themselves.

After a fun half day of playing, dinner that night was served on the deck and featured fresh caught fish grilled perfectly, as well as a rice pilaf, and a selection of fruit from the island. By the time the long day came to a close, everyone was content to kick back and relax with cold drinks and simply talk under the gorgeous, clear night sky. Hermione was cuddled with Harry on a chaise and Ginny finally decided she had had enough. They knew that hiding their threesome would be difficult on the trip and they had already gained a few curious glances during the day. Now Ginny curled into Harry's other side as her hand reached and settled on top of Hermione's where it lay on his chest. The move raised a few eyebrows, but no one said anything for a minute. Predictably it was Ron who couldn't contain the question any longer.

"Ginny, what the hell?"

"Language Ron. I'm just getting comfortable."

"But…but…"

Hermione leaned up and kissed Harry deeply before separating and leaning over to kiss Ginny just as long. Harry was enjoying the moment and only vaguely registered the sound of a glass being dropped somewhere. Then Ginny pulled away from Hermione and kissed Harry before both of his girlfriends cuddled back into his sides. Harry had an arm around each with a bottle of butterbeer in one hand. He took a quick sip, raised the bottle, and smiled at Ron, who was staring at them with his mouth hanging open. Then Neville laughed and shook his head.

"I think that answers the question Ron."

"And you should close your mouth Ronald. The mumblies favor tropical climates and you don't want to swallow any."

Ron's jaw snapped shut as he turned to look at Luna. A few others chuckled and the awkward moment passed. Then Neil returned from a trip to the loo and sat down next to his wife, only to be a bit shocked when he looked at Harry and the girls. He turned to look at Jean and she just smiled and kissed him before pulling herself tighter to his side. Obviously she wasn't surprised and he decided they could talk later.

An hour or so later, as everyone started yawning, the group dispersed to their separate quarters. The adults were all in the main house before the threesome, who were the last to depart. They separated at their doors, with Ginny going to her room by herself. A few minutes later a knock at her door signaled the arrival of Hermione and Harry.

"We came to say goodnight…"

Hermione ended her words by reaching for Ginny. Soon they were in full snog while Harry watched attentively. Then he was pulled over to join them. Their three way snog continued as light moans grew louder. Ginny was beyond frustrated and pulled herself back with a whimper. Hermione looked at her with concern.

"What's wrong Gin?"

"Bloody stupid hormones! Gah, I've been frigging myself daily and it isn't enough. I'm trying not to rush our relationship, but I'm so damn horny."

Hermione smiled while Harry just gaped as his shorts grew tighter. Hermione pulled Ginny back into her arms, while looking over at Harry.

"Harry, would you mind if I helped Ginny out? We haven't really discussed the speed of our threesome. You can watch if you like."

"Um, sure. If I watch though I'll probably…um…need to help myself. I'm already starting to hurt."

Hermione smiled and moved over Harry, pulling him into a deep snog before stopping to look into his gorgeous eyes.

"Do whatever you need to my love. Let's just see how this goes."

Hermione emphasized her words by rubbing him firmly through his thin shorts. Harry groaned happily. So much for his shy bookworm, not that he minded. Hermione then reached over to the dresser and grabbed Ginny's wand. Soon she had heavy privacy and silencing spells up. Then she tossed the wand aside and turned back to her girlfriend. As their lips met, both lost their wraps, leaving them in their bikinis. Harry freed his cock and sat back on a nearby chair to lazily wank himself as he watched the show. Ginny's top went next and Hermione's wasn't long after it. Harry took a moment to compare them. He found them both beautiful in different ways. Hermione had more curves, but Ginny's toned muscles were also appealing. This also meant that Hermione had the larger chest, beautiful peach orbs with areolas that were slightly darker. Ginny's smaller breasts were a pale cream, but with dark pink areolas that were noticeably larger in diameter and looked like they would be delightful to suck.

As Harry admired his girls, their moans grew louder and Ginny was practically begging. Hermione was getting frequent sex now, but her girlfriend hadn't since she had broken up with Dean before the end of the school year. She plunged her fingers between Ginny's legs and found her dripping. Harry meanwhile was admiring the narrow strip that showed that Ginny was a true redhead. As Ginny went to spread her legs wider, she untied Hermione's bottom and the last scrap of cloth that separated them was gone. As Hermione worked her faster, Ginny began to quake and quickly moved back to sit on the bed. Hermione pushed her back further as her head descended to suck one of the nipples that Harry was eyeing greedily. Hermione moved her work down further and inserted one and then two fingers into Ginny's pussy. She angled up and found the spot that would send her lover over the edge. Ginny came suddenly, screaming loud enough to test the strength of the charms on the room. Her whole body shook as Hermione pressed down on her to hold her in place. The sight of her girlfriend coming made her even hotter as she straddled Ginny's leg and began to rub herself.

As Ginny recovered from her first orgasm, she pulled Hermione back up for a good snog that caused her to start begging again. Taking the hint, Hermione pulled back and soon had her head between Ginny's legs. Harry was gaping as he throbbed. He was as hard as he had ever been in his life and he needed more. Hermione was bent over and completely absorbed on pleasuring Ginny as Harry stood and approached her from behind. He had just enough thought left to warn Hermione by fingering her lightly. She spread her legs just a bit, which was enough of an affirmation for him as he sunk a finger into her and then guided his cock seconds later. A loud squelch sounded as copious fluids dripped out. Hermione pulled her head up for a moment to call Harry's name before Ginny pushed her head back down and she resumed her work. Ginny looked at Harry as he began to pick up his pace. A heated glance was traded and she reached for his hands. Gripping each other's hands, they were able to increase the force of Harry's rhythm as he began pummeling Hermione into oblivion. When Hermione jerked and screamed her release against Ginny's clit, the redhead came for her third or fourth time. A few seconds later, Harry joined them as he poured streams into Hermione. All three were boneless as they collapsed together, somehow rolling away from the edge toward the middle of the bed, where they let sleep claim them.

Long hours later the threesome was finally summoned back to the land of the living by a cautious knock at the door. They all groaned and then looked at a nearby clock, surprised to see it was almost eight. Harry mumbled something about a lie-in, but then Hermione realized their predicament.

"Um Harry, we never made it back to our room."

The previous night flooded back into Harry's brain and he smiled at first before then waking enough to realize that the person at the door was probably one of the three adult chaperones staying with them. That finally drove the last sleep from him as he rolled off the bed and began to fumble until he found his shorts as a second knock came even louder. Once he was decent, Harry cracked the door open and groaned when he saw Remus smirking at him.

"Good morning cub. A very good morning according to the wolf's nose. You might want to get to your own shower. I heard someone in the Grangers' room getting up a few minutes ago."

"Right, thanks Remus."

Remus chuckled and turned to leave him. Hermione had found her wrap by that point and was covered enough to make the dash next door to their room. They both turned briefly to Ginny and gave her quick kisses.

"Thanks for last night. It was exactly what I needed. My only problem now will be sleeping alone."

"Well, we'll figure something out. See you in a few."

Hermione and Harry's quick shift of rooms was nearly complete when Neil stepped in the side door, carrying several fresh papayas. Hermione suppressed a groan, mumbled a quick good morning and then grabbed Harry and ducked into their room. Neil stood stunned for a few seconds and then continued on to the kitchen. He would definitely need to talk to Jean.

By half past eight, all the residents of the main house were back in the usual swimwear and wraps that were the uniform for the island, and made their way to the outside dining area to join everyone for breakfast. Part of the discussion while they ate was regarding their training and the threesome and a few of their friends agreed to join Neil for a workout after Harry returned from a quick portkey trip back to London, where he was picking up Tonks. As soon as he left, everyone began to head for the beach. Meanwhile, Jean held her daughter and Ginny back. Neil was also there and didn't look too happy. Hermione knew what this was about, but decided not to volunteer any information, causing Jean to frown and start the discussion.

"Alright, would one of you like to explain why Harry and Hermione were seen sneaking back to their room this morning?"

"I don't think it needs much explanation mum. I thought we made our relationship status obvious yesterday."

"Yes, I am aware that you are trying this threesome relationship out, even if I am not entirely happy with it. The issue I have is that Ginny is a year younger than Harry and almost two years younger than you. Her parents entrusted us with her care this week. I suppose you're going to insist that last night was innocent sleeping?"

"No Mrs. Granger. We're all quite happy with the relationship and care deeply about each other. Last night was the natural progression of that. I understand your point about my parents. They are quite conservative, but if they think that chaperones are going to protect my purity, they are way late. I've had several female lovers and one male lover, and that was not Harry, although I expect he'll be my second before long. I'm on a six month contraceptive potion and have been for over a year. I'm a mature witch and understand my needs and desires."

Both of the Grangers were shocked at Ginny's straightforward answer, although Hermione was just trying not to smirk. Neil meanwhile was putting the pieces together and then decided to stop. He didn't need images of what his little girl did with her girlfriend any more than he needed to know what she and Harry did. As usual, Jean was the first to respond.

"Alright, well thank you for your honesty Ginny. Still, I'm surprised. You just turned fourteen. Do your parents know about this? You leave us in a difficult position."

"No, they don't, although my brothers at school probably have an idea. Except Ron. He can be a bit dense if you hadn't noticed. Honestly, unless my parents pull me out of school and lock me up there isn't much they can do. My mother claims to be a paragon of propriety, but even I can do math. My parents married the week after they graduated Hogwarts and my oldest brother arrived twenty seven weeks later. At least I'm more careful. I'm sorry if this puts you in a bind. Like we've discussed, I only ask that you not volunteer information. If you are asked directly, then I understand that you will need to tell them. You are here chaperoning and ensuring we are safe from danger and injury. Now that you know I am protected, I think that fulfills your responsibility."

Neil blew out a long breath. Ginny was as stubborn as his own daughter in a slightly different way. He didn't like the idea of any of this, but much like the Weasleys, he couldn't take the drastic measures it would require to stop them. Jean had turned to look at him and she didn't look happy either. They conversed quietly for a minute and finally agreed.

"Alright Ginny, we won't volunteer information as requested. If your parents ask outright though, we will be truthful."

Right then a grunt from their left sounded and they turned to see Harry and Tonks both arriving via portkey and promptly falling face first into the sand. That broke the tension as everyone chuckled. As Harry stood and looked up at his girlfriends and the Grangers, he had a bad feeling. Except that Hermione smiled and gave him a bit of a shrug. That signaled that whatever was happening was alright. He led Tonks up to the deck and she said hello to everyone before Harry and the girls led her inside. They hadn't decided where she would stay yet, but Ginny had an idea.

"Harry, we just had a discussion with the Grangers. They aren't happy, but they aren't going to try to stop us from sleeping together. If you and Hermione don't mind, can I stay in with you and we give Tonks my room?"

Harry grinned and pulled her over for a kiss before handing her off to Hermione. Tonks was grinning at the show.

"Interesting. I was wondering what was going on with you three. So, want to show me to my room?"

"Um, actually one second Tonks. Milly…"

The elf popped in and greeted Harry and was then introduced to Tonks.

"Milly, can you please clean the bedroom that Ginny has been staying in? Make sure to change the linens and also move Ginny's things into my bedroom. Then please put Tonks' bag in the room."

"Yes Lord Harry. It will be ready in a few minutes."

The elf left and Tonks shook her head.

"Thanks Harry. I appreciate the clean sheets as well. I think I understand the conversation that Ginny mentioned."

Harry rolled his eyes, knowing that he was due for teasing. Then each of the girls took an arm and led them back out to the beach. As promised, Neil was waiting and gathered the group that wanted to exercise. They started with warm ups and then began to run along the beach, which offered quite a workout with the sand. Once they returned to the cove, Neil led the threesome through some karate moves, as well as showing a few basics to their friends. By the time they were done, everyone happily ran and dove into the water to cool off.

The rest of the morning was spent lazily at the beach. After lunch, Harry led everyone to the other side of the island where the boats were stored. He wasn't sure how to operate the sailboat or yacht, but the two speedboats were easy enough. Amazingly, they didn't require fuel, but had been modified with a magic gauge. Dary, Harry's maintenance elf, showed them how to utilize a built in rune cluster and force a bit of magic through it to charge the gauge. It didn't take much and then Harry and Neville had the boats roaring. It wasn't hard to learn to drive them and the north side of the island didn't have any rocks or reefs to worry about. Dary also provided fishing gear and a few of the friends took turns trying for a catch. By the end of the afternoon, Jora was quite happy with their success and took the fish back to the kitchen.

That night found the threesome comfortably ensconced in their bedroom together, a fact that was noticed but not commented on by the others in the main house. Ginny was just glad that Ron was in one of the farther placed guest houses. For their second night, Harry found himself in the middle to start and enjoyed exploring a bit more with Ginny, but then they rotated and Hermione and Ginny began to take care of each other while Harry pleasured Hermione, much like the previous evening.

The following day saw Su Li leaving after thanking Harry for a wonderful time. Hermione and Ginny had both been watching Harry's interaction with the different witches and had quietly agreed that Su was probably too conservative for the coven.

When Harry took Su back, he returned with three new arrivals. Fred, George, and Lee had decided that their business could pause for a couple of days in lieu of some summer fun. The activities and games took on an even more ribald tone with three jokesters in residence.

On her second night at the island, Tonks continued with Occlumency training and a number of the friends sat in on the lesson. The purebloods all had a bit of skill at a minimum, with Daphne actually having as good of shields as Harry and Hermione, which thrilled her friends. Other than the one lesson, Tonks was quite laid back and fit in well with the group. She may have been six years older than Hermione, but her fun attitude made her a welcome addition that actually surprised Hermione a bit.

As the week progressed, Hermione and Ginny enjoyed the time, but kept in mind the secondary goal behind summer fun: analyzing potential additions for the coven. They watched how Harry interacted with the different witches, as well as each witch's individual attitudes. Hermione tried to talk to each separately at different points and get a feel for each person's beliefs and knowledge of wizarding traditions. Daphne was on the top of her list and she was amused to watch the Slytherin Ice Princess thaw a bit on the island. She had a dry wit and enjoyed lightly teasing Harry. The first day he seemed a bit unsure about it, but soon understood her better and began to respond teasingly, even managing to throw Daphne off balance at a couple of points. Her family was pureblood, but traditionally neutral and Daphne had rather progressive beliefs. Combined with her and Hermione's attraction to each other, Hermione talked to Ginny and they agreed that Daphne would be the next to be brought into the relationship when it became feasible.

The next most likely addition would probably be Luna. Her strange quirkiness often was a balm that would ease tensions and redirect conversations. Harry seemed unfazed by her unusual comments and seemed to get along with her better than a lot of others.

One witch who was a bit of a puzzle was Katie Bell. As a fellow Gryffindor, Hermione had her at the top of the list. Katie was a half-blood, and her muggle mother made sure she was as familiar with the muggle world as the magical. Her father was a fairly liberal pureblood, as evidenced by his choice of wife, but his wife was quite conservative. This led to Katie having an interesting mix of beliefs. She was a fanatic about Quidditch and already had a couple of professional scouts watching her. That seemed to be a slight drawback, but wouldn't have been insurmountable if it was the only issue. The main issue was her apparent attitude toward Ginny. Since the night when Ginny had cuddled up to Harry and Hermione, making their threesome public, Katie had noticeably shied away from the redhead. On Thursday, Hermione found herself sunning next to Katie with no others around and decided to broach the subject.

"So Katie, what do you think about the island? You've been a bit quiet."

"Oh the island is grand. Harry is quite generous to let us all come spend the week here."

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. I wasn't sure."

A silence engulfed them for a couple of minutes before Katie spoke up again.

"How come you allow it Hermione?"

"Allow what?"

"Ginny taking Harry's attention off of you. No one was really surprised when you two hooked up. You're very well matched, but now she's with him too."

"Actually, she's with both of us. It was a mutual decision. Ginny and I were together briefly before Harry and I finally admitted how we felt."

Katie turned to look at Hermione with a shocked expression.

"Really, I didn't think you'd be so surprised. You're a couple of years older than us."

"Well, I guess I just prefer keeping my boyfriend to myself. Not that I have one right now. And being with another witch just seems strange. I suppose I could try it with the right person, but the whole threesome thing doesn't seem right. I'm sorry Hermione. If the three of you are happy, I guess that's what counts. I was a bit upset, but I understand better now."

"Thanks Katie. I know what we have may not be for everyone, but please don't blame Ginny."

The conversation turned to easier subjects while Hermione mentally crossed Katie off her list. She was happy though to see her warm up to Ginny more again over the next couple of days.

The last two witches under consideration were the two Hufflepuffs. Both were easygoing and friendly, as would be expected of Puffs. Harry got along well with both, although he and Susan seemed to gravitate together more than he did with Hannah. Susan was fun and sassy, while Hannah was quiet and preferred to watch from the sidelines. Susan was pureblood, but quite liberal, while Hannah was half-blood with some more conservative muggle ideals. Ginny also noticed something as the week wore on that she brought to Hermione's attention one night as the two soaked in the large tub in their suite.

"So, I think the week is going well. You've gotten a good feel for some of the potential witches. The Hufflepuffs are the last on the list. I like Susan for sure."

"Yes, Susan and Harry get along well. I'm not sure what her feelings are about being with other witches. Hannah is still a bit of a puzzle."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about her. I've been unsure, but then I noticed something else. She and Neville are actually getting really friendly. They went on a hike up to the spring just the two of them today."

"Really? I missed that. Actually, I can see the two of them fitting together. I've been unsure about her, but I think that resolves my dilemma. I'm happy Neville may be finding someone. I'll cross her off for now. She's not as much off the list as Katie. If something changes in the future, we can reevaluate."

Ginny agreed as she and Hermione finished their bath. They would have liked to have included Harry, but two was the maximum for the tub. When they stepped out of the bath, they dried each other and then pulled on simple silk robes as they stepped into the bedroom. Harry was laying on the bed reading and looked up to smile at them. He was wearing only a pair of boxers and was already slightly aroused. Grinning, both girls crawled in on opposite sides of the bed. Harry tossed his Quidditch magazine aside and began to focus on alternating his attention between the two of them. Soon the robes came untied and not long after they were tossed aside completely. Ginny cast the charms on the room as they started to make more noise. The threesome spent a long while just kissing and caressing. Harry was fully erect and ready, when Ginny rolled over and straddled him, grinding herself against the thin cloth that was barely containing him. She looked over at Hermione, who simply smiled and reached up to fondle Ginny's breast. Harry was groaning loudly and couldn't take much more.

"Gin, gods, you're driving me crazy. I want you, but I don't know if you're ready?"

Ginny squealed with delight. She had been wanting Harry for a while, but was doing her best to take the relationship at his speed. With his affirmation, she moved down to his legs and pulled his boxers off, taking in the sight of his glorious cock. He was already dripping pre-cum and she licked his head and sucked him lightly, pleased with the trembling response he gave her. Their foreplay had her more than ready though, so she stopped before he blew and moved back up to kiss him. As he was focused on the kiss, she slowly lowered herself onto him, causing Harry to throw his head back and hiss. Then she started moving slowly and his attention was drawn to her breasts. He reached to take hold of them as Ginny rode him harder. Beside them, Hermione was on her back with her legs up and knees bent as she buried three fingers in herself. Ginny noticed and took one of Harry's hands off her breast and placed it between Hermione's legs. Taking the hint, he pushed Hermione's fingers aside and started working her in rhythm to Ginny's movements. Ginny came first as she clamped down on Harry and fell onto his chest. Still working his fingers in Hermione, he kept thrusting up into Ginny, causing a new small yelp with each thrust. Then Hermione screamed his name seconds before he erupted. When he finally slipped out of Ginny, she rolled off him and reached over to kiss Hermione before turning back to Harry, who was grinning.

"Thank you Harry. Gods, why did I wait so long? You do know I won't be able to get enough now."

"Which is why I'm here to help as well."

Ginny turned and kissed her girlfriend. Then she felt Harry roll over and spoon behind her as he nuzzled her neck. Minutes later he was ready to go again and slipped into her from behind as Hermione moved up and Ginny buried her face between the brunette's legs as Hermione let out a long moan that signaled the start of their next round.

The threesome woke the next morning and Harry's first task was to take a few guests back to the Leaky. Their week was now down to only a couple of days and the last two days on the island would be a bit quieter as Tonks, Fred, George, and Lee all left. Those that remained did their best to fit in as much fun before the idyll came to an end. The smaller group allowed the threesome a chance for a quiet hike up to the spring one afternoon. While they were relaxing after a dip, Hermione and Ginny talked while Harry snoozed. They decided that talking with Daphne didn't need to wait, since they were both sure of her as the next choice. The following day, Hermione broached the subject with her Slytherin friend when they found themselves alone for a while when the rest of their group was kayaking.

"So Daphne, the week is almost up. What are your plans for the last couple of weeks of the summer?"

"Nothing much. My father had a business trip, but will be back in a few days and will probably spend some time going over the results from the trip. He always wanted a son, but since he only has daughters and I'm the eldest, he's been training me."

"So you enjoy the business?"

"Sometimes. The intricacies of some of the negotiations are like a puzzle with little hidden pieces if you know where to look. The meetings though can be downright boring. Everyone talking in circles. I feel like telling them all to just shut up and say what they really mean, but that wouldn't be diplomatic. Still, it's good experience."

"It sounds like your father is definitely grooming you. Normally pureblood witches are looking for a spouse. What happens if you marry someone who isn't in business? Will you be allowed to still work in your family business?"

"Maybe, but my father wouldn't allow me to marry someone he doesn't approve of. Of course, Stori has been getting some training too. Not that I'm betrothed yet. A couple of other Slytherin families have been to talk to father. I've asked him to wait until I have a chance to find my own match, but he won't wait for much longer. I'm fifteen. By sixteen I'll need to have my future better lined up. I just hope he doesn't accept an offer from the Notts. Theo is pig. Where are you going with this line of questioning anyway? You and Harry seem happy together, and then you've got Ginny as well."

"I'm trying to understand purebloods more. Ginny helps some, but her family isn't at the same level of purebloods. Look Daphne, we know we have a connection and we came close to being together. Do you prefer witches? Would that even be allowed?"

Daphne snorted.

"Hardly. Oh, there are pureblood witches who find comfort in the arms of other witches when their husbands start to look elsewhere, but it's something kept very quiet. As for me, I'm still attracted to you and others, including some wizards. Unfortunately, the pickings in my house are horrible."

Hermione nodded and chewed her lip. Daphne shook her head.

"Alright, out with it. I can tell there is another point to this conversation."

"Okay, but it needs to remain a secret for now. You have good shields at least, but can you give a secrecy oath? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Daphne raised an eyebrow and reached for her bag, where she had tucked her wand. She wouldn't do this for just anyone, but she did trust Hermione. She gave the secrecy oath and Hermione sighed as she began to explain the basics of Harry being the one who would have to take care of Voldemort. Then she detailed some of her research. When she mentioned covens, everything began to coalesce and things started to make more sense to Daphne. She had heard of them of course, but it was old magic and supposedly dark. Her family wasn't light, but they did their best to remain rigidly neutral. Still, as Hermione explained it, she realized the intent wasn't really dark and understood why covens were frowned on in the past. Then Hermione came to the end of her explanation and made the offer that Daphne knew was coming.

"So, I'm sure you have figured out where this is leading. Harry, Ginny, and myself are the first three of the coven. We could establish a triad, but a coven yields more power and has more rituals available. I know this is a lot, but I'd like for you to consider joining us. If you think you could be with Harry, as well as whoever else joins. We have a few ideas, but any future decisions will be discussed by all current members. In the end, I make the final choices, but I won't select someone that you or any other members are truly against."

Daphne took a minute to think before responding.

"Well, that was certainly more than I expected. It makes the reason for the oath obvious though. And I can understand it in theory. Still, I'll need to think on it. I have other things to think about too. Let's say this coven idea moves forward and works to get rid of Voldemort, what then? I don't know a lot about sex magic, but I've heard some of it can have binding properties. If we're all tied together permanently, that has ramifications for my house. I already told you that my father is considering betrothal offers. He needs a strong business alliance, as well as the possibility of carrying on the family name. I know the Notts are top on the list because Theo has an older brother to take the family name, while he could take his wife's name. As important as fighting Voldemort is, pureblood families will be looking beyond him to the future. First though I need to think about myself. You know I'm attracted to you and I will admit that Harry seems like a good guy. A hell of a lot better than Theo Nott, but we're talking about more than just personal relationships. Covens aren't banned, but they are frowned on. I will think about it though."

"Thanks Daphne, that's all I ask. I won't approach anyone else until you let me know. I want to add people one at a time and ensure everyone is comfortable as we move forward."

Daphne nodded and the two friends relaxed until the rest of the group returned from kayaking. Nothing more was said while they were on the island, but Hermione did notice that her friend became a bit quieter for the last couple of days.

Eventually the week on the island drew to a close. On Saturday everyone went for a last swim and a few snorkeled out to the reef. Then the group dried off in the sun before all gathering their bags and joining Harry in front of the main house. Everyone took hold of the chain looped in his ring and soon all were back at their original departure point of the Leaky Cauldron. From there everyone dispersed to the floo or Knight Bus, while Remus apparated the Grangers and Harry in groups back to the Grangers' house. The week had been quite fun, but now they had just two weeks left until school started again.


	10. Summer Closure

**Another nice long chapter for all my faithful readers. Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback! This chapter hints at the potential final coven that may or may not be. I know a lot of you have your own wish list, but like I've said, the story was already about 95% complete when I first started publishing. I actually think that's for the best and I may adopt this method as my standard for all stories going forward. I am still trying to get Harmony Bound moving again and Life's Interlude has been left hanging until I finish HB. I don't like leaving my readers hanging, so for all future stories I think I will write a story completely except for last polishing before I post anything. That way if the muse leaves me, then at least only I am frustrated. As for HB and LI, they are not abandoned, just delayed and will get finished.**

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Chapter 10 – Summer Closure

After spending a quiet Sunday back at home, the Grangers returned to their practice on Monday and the routine for the summer continued. Hermione and Harry missed Ginny, but knew that her mum wanted her home for part of the summer. They had been invited to stay at the Burrow, but declined with the excuse of wanting to spend more time with the Grangers since Harry was still getting to know them. They also didn't want to sleep alone and neither wanted Molly Weasley's sharp eye catching a hint of their threesome with her daughter. They weren't totally separated from her though, since she wanted to continue Occlumency training and Tonks had agreed to pick her up on Monday and Thursday, then return her after dinner each night. Since she was being escorted by an Auror and the reason was for studying, Molly had no objection.

While they had made a point to continue a modified exercise program on the island, it was still a shock on Monday morning to have to wake so early for their run. By the middle of the week they were back in routine and were happy that their stamina and endurance hadn't suffered, aided by running in the sand as well as regular swimming.

On Tuesday shortly before lunch, their routine was interrupted by the arrival of a large eagle owl bearing a short message. The owl had come from Daphne and she was asking permission to come visit. Hermione replied quickly and welcomed her to come the following day. Around nine the following morning, the Knight Bus delivered their friend, who had been added to the ward book. When Daphne arrived, they all went out on the patio with cold drinks and enjoyed light discussion. Daphne informed them that she had been questioned carefully about the previous week, mostly by her younger sister who was a bit jealous. Soon the idle talk finished and Daphne turned the conversation to the reason she had come.

"Hermione, I've spent the last few days thinking about your proposal. I've also done a bit of reading in the family library. There isn't much on covens, but everything I found seemed quite neutral, which has helped to resolve some of my concerns. You know how I feel about you Hermione and I also enjoyed getting to know you better this last week Harry. You're nothing like I had expected. I am still not completely sure if everything will work in the long term, but I've decided to give this a try and join the coven."

Hermione gave a small shout and reached to hug her friend. Harry looked happy, although he still seemed a bit stunned by the whole plan. Daphne did have a couple of additional questions.

"Since we are moving forward with this, I was wondering who is next on your list? How quickly do you want to complete the coven?"

"The next person is one who I think will almost positively agree, and that is Luna. I don't think I'll talk to her until shortly before school starts. After that is Susan Bones. The last person is more difficult, although I do have an idea, but it won't be easy. I was hoping that we would be ready for the rituals by winter solstice. Since we are aiming to weaken Voldemort, using the ritual on the shortest day of the year that traditionally signifies the death part of the cycle of rebirth, my theory is this is when the ritual will be the most powerful. This year that is December 22nd, which is a Friday, at 9:17 in the morning Hogwarts time. I checked with Professor McGonagall and end of term exams are the 21st and 22nd, with the Express leaving at nine the morning of the 23rd. The break is through the 5th, with the Express returning us on the 6th. With Hogwarts position at the intersection of ley lines, as well as the accumulated magic, I think it will be an ideal focus point for our power."

"Alright, the solstice makes sense. Still, it's cutting the time close. Will we be ready to return just a day later? Will we be informing the headmaster or professors?"

"I've been thinking about this and I'm not sure of all the plans yet. I know I'm leading now, but once we have everyone together, these are all points we can discuss together in more detail. I think though that if we are successful, then we may want to all stay together over the holiday to handle the results together, especially if the rite does bond us all. Or Harry had mentioned spending the holiday at Potter Manor, which is heavily warded. If we do all bond, I think we will need to be together, wherever that is. I hate that there are so many unknowns, but what we are planning hasn't been done in a very long time and many of the written accounts have been destroyed. Then again, even those accounts wouldn't match exactly what we are doing. I'm not sure if we should inform the headmaster or professors, except that some of us may have interference with exams on Friday. If I were to trust anyone, it would be Professor McGonagall and not the headmaster."

Harry tried to suppress a smirk at Hermione's frustration over not being able to plan completely. He took her hand and gave it squeeze.

"We'll work out the details in the next months, if the coven forms as you plan. Now, who is this last difficult member you've been considering?"

Hermione grew pensive and worried her lip until Harry pulled her closer and kissed her thoroughly.

"C'mon Mione, I've told you I'm letting you lead on this. I trust you."

"Well, I've been going through the list of witches in our year, as well as one year above and below. I've crossed out a couple for incompatibility or conservatism of beliefs, as well as anyone who has shown a tendency to bully or allow themselves to be walked on by others. We need strong individuals with open minds for this. I've also only selected those with high magic potential, which will also be important. It's a bit daunting actually and a couple of people that I was hopeful of didn't work out."

Hermione paused and seemed unsure about continuing. Harry took both her hands and looked at her encouragingly. She smiled at him and continued.

"There is one other witch who I hadn't initially considered, but after seeing more of her during our beach holiday and watching the two of you interact, I added her to my list. She is definitely powerful and comes from a mixed magical background with more liberal ideas. The last witch I am considering is Tonks."

That reply shocked Harry as his mouth fell open. Daphne remained her usual inscrutable self, but one eyebrow quirked as she contemplated the suggestion. Before Harry could reply, the blonde spoke up.

"You know, I wouldn't have considered her, but now that you mention it, I can see her working. What is she, six or seven years older than us? That seems like a lot now, but in a few years it won't matter as much. And her unique skills could be a bonus. Harry?"

Harry looked back and forth between them and blew out a long breath before taking his glasses off to rub his face. He thought about the older witch and had to admit that there was an attraction, and it wasn't just physical. Tonks was fun, but knew when to take things seriously. While she was older, she didn't seem that much ahead of him. Of course, Harry knew his background made him more mature than others his age. He had actually enjoyed his time with her for the couple of days she spent on the island. It was good to see her in a more relaxed environment, where she was less guarded. Hermione and Daphne were still waiting for his response, which he phrased carefully.

"Okay, I admit to being a bit surprised by that choice, but I do like her. I'll remain open to the idea, but let's make sure we have everyone else in place first. Maybe once we get back to school, someone else may seem like a better fit."

"That works Harry. We all need to be in agreement on these decisions. We're all going to be intimate with each other for at least a while and potentially much longer if the bond forms."

"Which brings up something else I want you to think about Harry. I know I just agreed to give the coven a try and we don't fully know what is going to happen, but I need to be prepared for all possibilities. If we do all bond as a coven, then we'll need to decide how to continue legally since a coven bond isn't recognized by the Ministry. I know Hermione said she discussed this with you and she told me that you have some extinct lines you can resurrect. You need to understand what to expect with my family. We are traditionally very neutral, but maintain the stricter pureblood customs in regards to betrothals and marriage. My father loves me and wishes for me to be happy, but he has to ensure the continuation of our line despite having two daughters. He has already been approached by a couple of families, but is giving me until my sixteenth birthday to find a suitable match. I will turn sixteen on February 6th. I know this is premature, but if we all work out together, I would prefer to take a consort role to one of your houses. That would allow me to maintain my family name."

"Wow, alright. It's still a bit early to be thinking that far ahead, but I know the old families have a lot of traditions. Can I ask who is making your father an offer?"

"Right now Theo Nott seems to be the most likely since he is a second son."

"Bloody hell, no way! He's one of the junior Death Munchers."

"Yes, I know. I don't like the match either, but he has made his preference quite clear to the point that I had to hex him one day. I know this discussion seems early, but even if the coven didn't work out, I'd still be open to an offer as a consort to a secondary line of yours. Our friendship is new, but I feel that I could at least be content with you and maybe even more in the future. That is a lot more than what a lot of pureblood witches get."

Harry shook his head and looked at Hermione, who was scowling. They both were unhappy with the old traditions, even if they realized they were quite prevalent. Hermione quickly cleared her face and turned to look at Daphne.

"So Daphne, what does the rest of your schedule look like this summer? I think it would be good for us to spend more time with you, especially Harry."

"I have been assigned the job of being my father's assistant for the summer. I was able to go to the island last week because he had a business trip. He's in a limited audience meeting now, but I need to be back by three. Depending how this meeting goes, he may be taking another trip. When he doesn't have work for me, I can visit, but the schedule isn't firm right now."

"Understood. Well, how about lunch? Harry, do you want to go out?"

"Sure Hermione, where do you want to go?"

"Actually, I think it will be a good idea if you and Daphne have some time to yourselves. I get lots of time with you and you made sure to take some alone time with Ginny last week. While we are looking at building a strong coven group, we can't neglect individual relationships."

Harry looked to Daphne and she nodded in agreement. The whole situation was still a bit surreal, with his girlfriend essentially setting up a date for him with someone else.

"Okay then, Daphne would you please accompany me to lunch? Your pick."

"I'd like that Harry. I'm unsure of what's nearby, but just a sandwich would be fine."

"Well, there's a good burger restaurant about a fifteen minute walk from here."

Daphne agreed to that and Hermione was smiling as well. Harry gave her a quick peck and whispered his thanks before leading Daphne out of the house. Before they left the wards, he signaled a guard and let him know where they were going. The new couple walked at a leisurely pace as they talked and enjoyed the summer day. Daphne hadn't been out in muggle neighborhoods much and found the different styles of houses clustered together interesting. They took a slightly longer route to loop by the community center and Harry explained about the different training they were doing. Once they reached the restaurant, they ordered at the counter and then found a table outside. Harry soon found his apprehensive feelings disappearing as he enjoyed talking to Daphne. She offered some unique insights into traditional pureblood life. She in turn was interested in his childhood, but he managed to pass over the subject with a bare mention that he had lived with relatives who were 'not the best'. Daphne could tell there was more than he was saying, but decided not to ask further on their first date. Once they finished their burgers, they decided on dessert and split an ice cream sundae. When they were done, they walked back toward the Grangers with Daphne's arm linked with Harry's. Their lunch date hadn't been long, but they had both enjoyed it and Hermione was happy to see things going well when they returned. Daphne spent another hour with them and then had to catch the bus back to her father's office.

Once Daphne left, Harry and Hermione only had to wait a few minutes until Remus arrived as previously scheduled. With the new session of the Wizengamot opening the following day, Hermione insisted that Harry needed new dress robes and Remus had agreed when they had discussed it while on the island. His robes from the Yule Ball were already about three inches too short and Hermione didn't trust transfiguring them and then having the spell canceled out. Remus took them straight to the Leaky and then on to Diagon. It was still a bit early for school shopping, so Madam Malkin was not busy and set to work immediately on the robes Harry had selected with Hermione's help. Although he could afford the finest, he knew he was still growing and opted for deep blue robes in common silk with a modern cut that made the robes more of a cape. She quickly embroidered the Potter crest on them and Harry was set. Underneath the robes he would wear a set of nice trousers and a button down shirt, emphasizing his standing between the muggle and magical worlds. The whole trip only took a bit over an hour and Remus had them back shortly before the Grangers returned home.

The next day saw Harry dressed and ready at half past nine when Augusta came to collect him. She was in her Wizengamot robes and nodded approvingly when she saw Harry's robes. She took them to the apparition point in the atrium of the Ministry and they were passed through security quickly. The guard on duty seemed shocked to see Harry, but a sharp look from Madam Longbottom quelled any enthusiasm of his that would have made a scene. As she led him toward the Wizengamot chambers, she stopped to talk to several other members along the way. She introduced Harry to each and he began to mentally file away information on different members. They entered chambers with ten minutes to spare, during which Augusta continued her social rounds and Harry found himself studying her tact as she directed questions and steered conversations to answer her questions.

Promptly at ten, a bell was sounded and all members who were not sitting scrambled for their seats. The chambers were situated as a U shape with the open end of the U being a set of double doors that allowed entry. Madam Longbottom's seat was on the right side, nine chairs removed from the Chief Warlock. Dumbledore glanced at Harry and seemed surprised to see him, but then his duties called his attention.

"Good morning fellow members of the Wizengamot and welcome to the 734th session of our esteemed body. You have all received notices of our schedule today, but before we begin, does anyone have early business to be discussed?"

Harry raised his wand in the manner that Augusta had instructed him and Dumbledore covered his frown as he gave a bare nod.

"Lord Potter, please rise and state your business."

Harry kept his face neutral as he realized that his robes and crest had been noted and the old man knew what they signified.

"Thank you Chief Warlock. Pursuant to my fifteenth birthday on July 31st, I have assumed my title as Lord Potter. Due to my age, I realize I cannot sit the Potter seat until my majority. In my stead, I wish to name Madam Longbottom as my proxy with all members currently in attendance as witnesses to this."

That finally cracked Dumbledore's facade a bit and for a change he didn't bother to cover his displeasure.

"Indeed Lord Potter. Do you have an issue with your current proxy?"

"I believe your title as Chief Warlock presents a potential conflict of interest with your voting for a large bloc such as those that my house is entitled to. I did not name my proxy originally and now I wish to make my own decision."

"I see. Although it hasn't even been a month since your rise to your Lordship, perhaps a bit more time in contemplation would be warranted? Some time to seek wise counsel?"

"I have sought the counsel of Madam Longbottom and others. She has proven to be quite kind as she is beginning to instruct me in the ways of this esteemed body. Now, I believe the Wizengamot has a good deal of business to handle after the summer hiatus and I would not wish to delay it any longer."

Dumbledore switched his attention to Madam Longbottom, who didn't flinch under his scrutiny. Seeing that his cause was lost, he settled back in his seat and continued.

"Indeed, we should proceed Lord Potter. We'll need your official oath to change the proxy."

Harry raised his wand immediately, signaling that he was prepared and ready. Dumbledore paused for a couple of moments before beginning.

"On this twenty-third day of the month of August in the year nineteen hundred and ninety five, do you Lord Harry James Potter desire to assign the votes of House Potter to a third party?"

"Yes, I Lord Harry James Potter, do hereby grant proxy privileges for all votes entitled to House Potter into the care of Madam Augusta Longbottom, current regent of House Longbottom. So mote it be."

A brief flash of light indicated the magic had accepted his oath. Harry nodded to the Chief Warlock and took his seat again as Dumbledore began with the first item on the schedule. Harry had reviewed the schedule with Augusta, but most of it was budget related and the only direction he had given her was that he wanted to vote for an increase in Auror funding. She did indeed present her request on behalf of House Potter, but Minister Fudge argued that an increase was an unnecessary waste. A bit of debate occurred among a few members. In the end, the department got a very moderate increase that might buy a few supplies, but would not allow an increase in training or forces. Harry was frustrated at how the Minister and a number of others remained in denial despite his testimony of Voldemort's return.

Additional discussion continued after the Auror funding, most of it minor and of little interest to Harry as he allowed his thoughts to drift. As the last item on the schedule was finished, Harry roused from his stupor as Madam Longbottom rose when the Chief Warlock asked if there was any additional business. This was the moment they had discussed and Harry grew nervous as she started to speak.

"Fellow members of the Wizengamot, I have recently received some startling information about a tragic injustice that is within our powers to resolve. I have reliable information that the heir of House Black, Sirius Black, was unlawfully imprisoned without a trial. Lord Potter has requested to submit memory evidence of his own meeting with Peter Pettigrew, who is indeed still alive…"

The room grew raucous at that news and Dumbledore had to cast several cannon blast charms to finally get the room under control. He didn't look happy, but he nodded for Augusta to continue.

"As I was saying, the heir of one of the oldest houses in magical England has had a grave travesty of justice perpetrated on himself. In addition, those who have tried to offer evidence have been denied the right to do so. I ask for a full review of his case. If there is sufficient evidence, I ask that he be given the trial that even those such as the Lestranges were given, and I ask that those with memory evidence finally be allowed to present their memories in front of the court."

When Augusta finished, a voice boomed from the other side of the chamber. The name in front of the chair was Yaxley and he was scowling at both of them.

"Really Madam Longbottom, you expect us to believe that the heir of House Black wasn't given a trial? The idea is ridiculous."

"Indeed it is, which is why I ask for a review of the trial records. If they can't be found, then further investigation is needed. This is a simple matter requiring at most a couple of hours of work in the archives."

That suggestion caused another low murmur around the chamber. No one could really argue with a simple search of the archives. Dumbledore realized this as well and called for a vote. There was an overwhelming majority who agreed to the investigation. Minister Fudge and his aide Dolores Umbridge both looked upset, each wondering what political ramifications this could have for them. With the vote complete, Director Bones of the DMLE spoke up.

"With the Wizengamot's approval, I will assign a junior Auror to begin the search of the records. As the current holder of the seat for the Noble House of Bones, I will personally ensure that the law is followed and justice is pursued accordingly."

When Director Bones sat down, she looked over at Harry, who gave her a small smile which she acknowledged with a nod. Harry had heard that she was tough, but fair and felt that Sirius' case would finally get the attention it deserved.

With the final vote done and no one else standing to add anything additional, Dumbledore called the session to a close. As the crowd began to disperse, Harry followed Madam Longbottom and they stayed to talk to a number of individuals. Many seemed mainly curious to meet Harry. While this would have usually annoyed him, Harry realized that it was time to put on a pleasant public face and start to build acquaintances that may help him in the future. Augusta finally got them out of the Ministry shortly after one and apparated Harry back to the Grangers. He thanked her once again and then entered the house, where Hermione was waiting with lunch, ready to hear about the session.

The following day was Thursday and Ginny came to visit shortly after lunch, with her father apparating her over during his lunch break. Daphne had arrived mid-morning as well and the four teenagers gathered in the back yard under a tree to talk about Daphne's addition to their group. While Harry wanted to snog Hermione and Ginny, he settled for simpler kisses instead of making Daphne uncomfortable. Ginny had gotten to know the Slytherin while they were on the island and the two seemed to get along well, despite Daphne's protective facade. As the afternoon wore on and they decided to play some games, Harry found himself holding Daphne's hand as they grew more comfortable. That evening Tonks arrived for the usual Occlumency training and didn't seem surprised to have added another student. What did surprise her was the fact that Daphne already had firm shields in place. She was also able to show her some different meditation techniques to help her further.

When the Grangers arrived home, they were only mildly surprised to find one additional guest for dinner. Jean welcomed having Hermione's friends around since her daughter's childhood had not been easy and her friends had been few. Still, as the meal continued, there seemed to be a strange undercurrent between the four teens that she couldn't quite place. Once dinner was finished, Tonks volunteered to apparate both Ginny and Daphne home. Hermione went to the kitchen with her parents and motioned for Harry to follow the other three to the back yard. Tonks realized he wanted to say goodbye and waited for a moment as he took Ginny in his arms and gave her a deep kiss. Then she was surprised when he gave Daphne a hug and a peck on the cheek that actually made her smile.

The rest of the week was much the same at the Grangers, with trainings continuing. On Saturday Daphne came to visit and accompanied the family to a local crafts fair, which she found quite fascinating. Both she and Harry were careful to keep Hermione between them so that they wouldn't slip and do something that would cause the Grangers to question. That night Ginny arrived to stay the night and the four teenagers enjoyed a movie after dinner. Daphne had to return home after and stepped out to catch the Knight Bus. Hermione and Harry followed to say goodbye and this time she traded brief kisses on the lips with each. It hadn't been long since she had decided to pursue this unusual relationship, but it seemed to be going well and she had to admit that Harry was a noble gentleman. She wasn't sure what the long term future held, but being betrothed to him would be a hundred times better than anything she could find within her own house.

Once Daphne left, the threesome disappeared upstairs while Jean pulled Neil into their bedroom. Both of them knew that the three teenagers were sleeping together, but she was determined to distract herself and her husband from thinking about what might be going on upstairs. Meanwhile upstairs, Hermione had expanded her bed a bit to allow the three of them to comfortably cuddle as they talked about the progress of the coven.

"So Harry, you and Daphne seem to be getting along well."

"Yes, once she drops her protective mask, she's quite pleasant. A lesson not to judge people too quickly. I still want to give things a bit, but she seems set on something more long term with us. I guess since her father is pushing for a betrothal that I can't blame her. I'm better than Theo Nott at least."

"Really Harry, don't even mention yourself in the same sentence with that cretin. I know it's early, but I do think she's a good addition. What do you think of her Ginny?"

"I'm the same as Harry. It's good to see her without the mask. It still seems a bit surreal that we are moving forward with this. Being in a threesome with the both of you is easy, but the idea of four more is daunting. Now that Daphne has agreed to try, who's next? Are you going to try to add anyone before we go back to school."

"I've been thinking about that and wasn't sure, but I have an idea of someone who I think will be easy to add."

"Luna."

"Yes. I think I'll invite her over next week. What do you say Harry?"

"Um, sure. You know I'm letting you lead on this. I'd like a bit of time to adjust once we add Luna. Two more witches within two weeks is a big jump."

Hermione and Ginny both agreed and then they decided to stop talking as they leaned over Harry and began kissing each other. Harry was underneath in the middle and reached for the breasts that were now in his sightline. As he took hold, both witches pulled away with a sigh and tossed their shirts aside before then focusing their attention on their boyfriend. Over the next two hours, Harry forgot all about a coven or other witches as he was caught in a storm of passion between the three of them.

The following morning saw the threesome having a lie-in until a bit after nine. By the time they made it downstairs, Neil was working in the garage and Jean had left a note that she had gone to run errands. The rest of Sunday was spent at home until Ginny had to leave when her father came to pick her up after lunch. He once again extended an invitation to Hermione and Harry to come to the Burrow for the last week of summer. They thanked him profusely, but wanted to spend more time with the Grangers (as well as in bed together).

The last week of summer dawned to an overcast Monday that made Harry want to have another lie-in. Except that Hermione was already out of the bed and changing into her running clothes. As she bent over to pick up something, he admired her perfect bum and groaned as he rolled out of bed. She laughed at him and, since she had yet to find her bra or put on a shirt, her chest jiggled delightfully. Harry immediately distracted himself and tried to think of nasty things. Trying to run with a stiffy wouldn't be fun.

Once they were back at that house and the Grangers were off to their practice, Hermione drafted a letter to Luna to ask her to come visit later in the day or sometime the next. With the weather still threatening rain, she and Harry retreated to the living room to study. Hermione was still working on details of the coven plan, while Harry was reading Hermione's first year Arithmancy homework. A couple of weeks prior, he had written to McGonagall and withdrawn from Divination. He had discussed other options with Hermione and liked Arithmancy when she showed him some of it. He had always been good in math and the theories were quite logical to him. When he had been growing up, math was one subject he always had to be careful of and falsify incorrect answers. Math was Dudley's worst subject and Harry learned early on that doing better than his cousin could be painful. Doing a lot better than his cousin would increase the pain accordingly. Now he was rediscovering his love of math via Arithmancy with Hermione's help. Although he couldn't join a class since he was so far behind, he hoped to catch up and take the OWL in it at the end of the year.

After a couple of hours of reading, Harry's stomach alerted him to the fact that it was lunchtime and he made his way to the kitchen to start cooking grilled cheese sandwiches. He was just gathering everything he would need when a loud pop in the backyard signaled the arrival of someone. Hermione appeared from the living room and they both had their wands drawn as they went to check on the arrival. They were happy when they saw it was Luna. Her dad had brought her over, but Xeno had apparated out immediately before they could greet him. Instead, they turned their attention to their friend as Hermione went to give her a hug.

"Wow Luna, you are prompt. Thank you for coming so quick."

"Of course Hermione. Dad's quite busy with the Quibbler and I have found myself unexpectedly bored after the fun time we had on the island. What are you doing right now?"

Harry led them back inside and resumed his position at the stove as he looked up at Luna.

"Well, right now we are about to have lunch. I'm making grilled cheese. Have you eaten?"

Luna had not and happily joined them. They took lunch to the back patio, glad that the weather had improved, and enjoyed light conversation. While Luna was at times a bit difficult to understand, when she was among friends, she grounded more and offered unique insights in the discussion. Harry enjoyed spending time with her and found her outlook refreshing.

After lunch, Luna pushed her plate aside and then regarded her two friends. The scrutiny was almost too much when she finally spoke again.

"That was delicious Harry, thank you. Now, while I am quite enjoying our discussion, perhaps we should move on to the reason you invited me here. The sooner you tell me, the sooner Hermione can stop worrying and clear her head of all those humdingers."

Harry chuckled at Luna's accurate observation while Hermione suppressed a sigh and decided she might as well go ahead. She cast privacy charms before turning to her friend to begin.

"As usual Luna, you are on target. We enjoy spending time with you, but there is something else and it involves Voldemort's return. Before he gathers his followers and resources, we want to strike early. This needs to go no further though. Would you mind taking an oath? Also, do you have any training in Occlumency?"

Luna took an oath and then looked off to the left before returning her attention to Hermione.

"Sorry Hermione, the infestation is quite bad here. Anyway, I have natural shields. My mind is quite unique according to father. Now, please go ahead before you can't speak at all."

Hermione was caught off guard for a moment, but shook her head as she got her thoughts back on track.

"Alright, thanks Luna. The oath will make sense shortly. We have an idea of how Voldemort survived when Harry was a baby and how to permanently get rid of him soon…"

Hermione spent the next twenty minutes explaining her idea of the coven. Luna didn't express any surprise and was as calm as always. When Hermione finished, the blonde remained silent and appeared to be contemplating. Harry was fine with letting her think, but Hermione was a bit more impatient until Harry's hand on her arm stopped her. After several minutes, Luna smiled and refocused on her friends.

"I think your idea is a good one Hermione and I'd like to be a part of the coven, but I don't think Harry likes me like that."

Harry reached to put his hand over Luna's where it sat on the table and then looked at her intently.

"Luna, you are correct that I see you only as a friend, but I am willing to pursue the possibility of more. I'll be honest and tell you that Hermione will always be first in my heart, but I believe I can come to love others. This all depends on the plan working and our being bonded in the long term, which is still not guaranteed. I am happy to have you join us."

"Oh, I'm sure that we will most likely bond. The old rites are quite powerful, as are the two of you and Ginny, and I'm above average. Who else has agreed now?"

"The only other witch who is with us right now is Daphne."

"Excellent, another strong witch and her political knowledge will be very useful in the future. So, what's next with me?"

"How about a movie? I've also been encouraging Harry to take each of us out separately. Maybe he can take you somewhere tomorrow if you can visit again?"

Luna nodded in happy agreement and stood as everyone gathered their dishes and returned to the house, where they cuddled on the couch to watch a movie. Luna rested her head on Harry's shoulder and soon he was absentmindedly stroking her hair. Hermione smirked when she saw that, but it was a good sign. Once the movie finished, Luna declared that she had to go home, but would see them tomorrow. Then she stepped outside to signal the Knight Bus.

The next day saw Luna return to join them in the morning. She borrowed a book from Hermione and began to read more about the unique aspects of sex magic and the powers of a coven. As lunch approached, Hermione suggested once again that Harry take his newest partner out to lunch. Luna agreed and happily looped her arm in Harry's as he led her on a brief tour of the small village nearby. They decided on fish and chips and ate slowly as they talked and got to know each other better. After lunch, Luna had to leave, but accepted an invitation to return the following day.

With Luna expected back, Hermione drafted letters to Ginny and Daphne, asking for them to join the group on Wednesday. By later that evening both replied in the affirmative. Hermione had extended an overnight invitation to Ginny, but she was unable to stay. She noted in her reply that convincing her mother to allow a day trip had been difficult enough. With the other witches confirmed, Harry and Hermione began to plan activities for the next day. At dinner that night they brought the subject up to the Grangers.

"Mum, dad, we've only got a couple of days left until school starts. I know we are going to Diagon and clothes shopping on Thursday, but tomorrow Harry and I thought we'd get together with some friends and catch the bus into the city to go to the zoo. Will that be alright?"

Neil looked up at his daughter as he thought for a moment. He was fine with the kids walking to their small village nearby, but London was another matter. He looked at Jean, who looked equally contemplative.

"Who all will be going dear?"

"Along with us will be Ginny, Luna, and Daphne."

"So no other guys? Harry, do you think you'd be alright with that many witches?"

"I'll manage somehow Neil. I like being around pretty girls."

Neil chuckled at that. Discounting Harry's regular near death experiences, he did seem to be living the dream of a lot of teenage boys. Hermione had turned to her mum and was looking at her with pleading eyes. Jean sighed and looked at her husband. He gave her nod to indicate his agreement.

"Alright Hermione, we'll allow it, but I'm still apprehensive. I tell you what, since your dad and I will be together at the practice, we won't have a need to call each other. I'll loan you my mobile for the day. Call us when you get to the zoo and when you get back home safely. That will make me feel better."

"Thanks mum!"

Hermione rushed around the table to give both her parents enthusiastic hugs. Dinner was finished not long after and the teenagers spent another hour with the Grangers as Hermione knew she would be missing her parents soon when school started again. Harry also would miss them and was beyond grateful for their welcome over the summer.

That night Harry was getting ready for bed as usual when he was stopped by a pair of arms wrapping around his middle from behind. He also felt Hermione's bare breasts against his back and grinned as he turned to face her. He started with a deep kiss and then trailed down to her neck as he let his hands roam. Meanwhile, Hermione was running her hands across his muscled chest as she started to moan. All the exercise over the summer, combined with plenty of good food, had definitely worked wonders on Harry. He wasn't bulky at all, but his wiry physique now included defined abs and strong biceps. He had grown several inches now as well and she fit perfectly under his chin. She thought he would probably be right at six feet once he stopped growing. Even now at a couple inches shy, he was looking much more like a man than a boy. His chest featured a nice sprinkling of hairs with a trail that dipped down into his pants. In total, she found the entire package delightful. Harry seemed pleased with what he saw as well. Hermione's stomach was toned and her arms had strength when she hugged him. Her hips were wider and he was glad that the exercises hadn't eliminated her amazing bum. She was perfectly curvy and his arousal showed just how much he enjoyed her body. They both were grinding against each other and he was ready to take her when she leaned up to whisper in his ear.

"Before the other girls join us more, I want to enjoy you all to myself."

"Like I told you Mione, you will always be first. The others are great, but they're not my Mione."

That was the perfect answer as she dropped his pajama pants and pushed him back toward the bed. She couldn't stand any more foreplay as she crawled over him and lowered her needy body onto him. Their eyes locked as she set a persistent rhythm. No more talk was needed as each saw the love and desire in the other's eyes. Their first climaxes came quickly and then they settled into gentle lovemaking that lasted a couple more hours. Although they would be light on sleep the next day, it was completely worth it.

The next day they both finished their run with the Grangers and then met Craig for their last training session of the summer. He was proud of their progress and they thanked him for the training before saying a final goodbye and heading home to clean up. They were just finishing a quick breakfast when a knock at the door signaled the first arrival. Hermione was then surprised when she opened the door and saw all three of the other witches. She let them in the house and Ginny answered her questioning look.

"This was Daphne's idea. Since we were all getting the bus, she flagged it down first and then had it stop to pick up Luna and me at my house. Luna floo'd over earlier."

Ginny's explanation ended with Hermione pulling her into a hug and then the two traded chaste kisses. Harry was standing behind them and reached to hug the other two. Hermione smiled when she saw that. Even a couple of months ago, Harry wouldn't have been that open with his affections. The five teenagers went to sit and talk for a few minutes and Harry found himself between Ginny and Luna. He let the girls talk while he looked around him. Hermione's plan still seemed daunting, but he was definitely feeling lucky as he was surrounded by beautiful witches. Soon they all decided it was time to head for the city and stepped outside to call the Knight Bus back. Stan seemed a bit surprised to see his recent passengers back and then paused when he saw Harry as well. Harry just handed him the fare and then went to find a seat on a couch.

The ride into the city only took about fifteen minutes with one other stop for another passenger, and then they all found themselves at the gates of the London Zoo. The day was warm, but a bit of cloud cover dulled the temps from being too scorching. Harry insisted on paying for everyone and then they began to wander through the exhibits. While his natural inclination was to seek out Hermione, she and the others ensured that he found his arms around different witches throughout the day. They also grew more comfortable with each other as different small groups formed within their larger group. When they stopped at some benches for a break near the flamingos, Luna perched on Ginny's lap, while Hermione and Daphne traded a brief kiss. Harry found himself with Ginny curled into his side and it was completely natural when he not only kissed her, but Luna as well. Then Daphne leaned over and kissed Harry for a moment. Their antics didn't go completely unnoticed when an older couple nearly fell over each other as they stared.

The group enjoyed lunch at the zoo and then spent a couple more hours afterward before leaving to flag down the bus again. Hermione had called her mother when they arrived and when they left. There had been no issues, but it reassured Jean.

Once they were all back at the house, Harry passed around cold drinks before settling in the living room. Although they talked a bit, by common agreement they all started snogging. Ginny started with Harry, but then handed him off to Daphne. That surprised him a bit since he had only traded brief pecks with the Slytherin. She was a bit timid at first, but Harry had lots of recent kissing practice and she soon gave way to his attentions. Then a tap on his shoulder indicated that Hermione had arrived and the threesome traded a few kisses before Ginny and then Luna also took turns with Harry. When the clock chimed four, everyone groaned a bit and pulled back.

"I guess that's our signal that we should be going. This was a lot of fun today. Thanks Harry."

"You're welcome Daph, but I should be thanking all of you. I'm feeling better that this is going to work out between us all."

"Yes, I'm glad this is going well. There is something we should talk about before we get back to school. How open do we want to be with everyone? You know there will be talk and jealousy. I'm especially concerned for you Daph within your house."

Daphne nodded, but remained quiet. It was Ginny who spoke up first.

"I suppose we should keep this to ourselves, even though it will be difficult. At least for a while. I know the plan is to be ready for the ritual by winter solstice. I don't know if we can keep it quiet for that long."

"If I need to, I'll use my title as Lord Potter and challenge anyone who gives us problems. I can always put you under house protection."

Daphne gasped and shook her head.

"I think we'll try to save that as a last resort Harry. House protection is seen as a sign of closer ties between houses. I know my father would practically consider it as a prelude to a betrothal."

"I understand. That's something else we need to discuss. I know we're still early in this relationship, but if we continue to move forward to the solstice as planned, I think I should talk to each of your fathers about betrothals so that my intentions are clear."

"That would probably be a good idea, but it would be best to keep details about a coven out of the discussion. My father won't have an issue with multiple wives or consorts, but the numbers may give him pause. I've already told you that I'd prefer a consort contract so that I can carry on my name."

"You know my family's not as traditional Harry. And with six brothers, I can take whatever title you wish."

"I'm much the same as Daphne. I'm the last of the Lovegoods, so a consort contract would be welcome."

"Well, we have a while before we need to address those issues. As much as I hate it, I'll have to be careful to only be affectionate with Hermione in public for a while. I want all of us as a group to agree when we make this public and also the decisions on titles and such. I may be the lord, but I'm just one partner in this."

"Which is why you are so special Harry."

The others agreed with Daphne and each gave him long kisses before the three visitors went to call the bus back. Ginny had wanted to stay the night, but her mum had vetoed that since she claimed that her daughter hadn't been home enough over the summer. Once they left, Harry and Hermione curled up together for a few more minutes until Tonks arrived for their training. She normally wouldn't see them until the next day, but had rescheduled since the next night would be busy with packing.

The Occlumency training with Tonks went well and she declared both of their shields to be quite good and able to stand up to most Legilimency. Unlike most nights, she wasn't able to stay for dinner, but Hermione needed to talk to her before she left.

"Tonks, Harry and I wanted to discuss something. We both know we are doing well in our studies, but we'd like to continue even after school starts. We also have some friends that we'd like to join us. Would it be possible for you to come to the school at least one night a week? I'm sure we can find an empty classroom somewhere to use."

"Hmm, well I'm open to it. I'll need to talk to Albus. Right now with my new schedule, maybe Tuesdays. I'll see what I can do and then owl you. I don't see a problem with adding others, but not too many or I'll have to divide my attention too much."

"Alright, that sounds good. It will probably be a half dozen or so total."

Tonks nodded in agreement and then gave them each a hug before wishing them a good trip back to school. Over the weeks that they had been under the young Auror's tutelage, she had become a good friend and Hermione was starting to believe that she would indeed be a good addition to the coven.

The following day was Thursday the 31st and a busy schedule had been lined up for the day. The day started with the usual run and then Neil went to the office. Jean had cleared her schedule for the whole day, but Neil had a few patients in the morning and would join them at lunch. After breakfast, Jean drove them into the city and both Harry and Hermione went shopping for new clothes. Hermione didn't need as much as Harry, but she had grown some. She also found a few items that she didn't need, but that Harry insisted she get. Harry ended up with all new trousers and jeans, as well as new shirts. Hermione helped with his selections and made sure to pick shirts that showed his muscles nicely. When he walked out in a pair of tight black jeans with a stretchy red t-shirt that hid nothing, Jean laughed at her daughter's look. Then Hermione stalked over to him and kissed him deeply before whispering in his ear.

"I definitely don't think we should advertise the coven. If the girls at school see you like this, I'll have to hex them to keep them away."

Harry smirked and shook his head. The shirt was something he wouldn't have picked for himself, as it had a bit of shine too it and the color was quite bold, but if Hermione liked it that much then he would make it a new favorite.

Once the muggle clothes shopping was complete, Jean drove them to the neighborhood of the Leaky and found a garage to park in. Neil arrived outside just as they were walking up and the group went in to get lunch. As soon as they were in the door, they heard the well-known sound of a large group of Weasleys, who had taken all the tables along the back wall and pushed them together. Harry and Hermione were greeted enthusiastically and found that, along with the Weasleys, another nine friends were also there. As everyone began selecting lunch, more people arrived and soon all the tables were filled. Along with fifteen teenagers, there were the Weasleys, Grangers, Xeno Lovegood, Sinead Finnegan, and Dean Thomas' parents. The Thomases and Grangers gravitated to each other as the only muggles in the group.

Once lunch was finished, everyone began dividing up in groups to go different places. Harry's first stop was at Madam Malkin's, where he was fitted for new school robes. After the fitting, he left her to finish the tailoring and then made his way around to cross items off of his school list.

Although Harry had a lot of friends shopping in the Alley that day, there were unfortunately some others around as well. One of those was Draco Malfoy, who pranced down the road with Pansy on his arm. When he saw Ron looking at the latest Firebolt in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, he stopped and called out to him.

"Keep dreaming weasel. Your entire family wouldn't be able to afford that."

Harry was just behind Ron and rolled his eyes at Malfoy's usual taunts. Ron was beet red as he turned around, but Harry replied before he could do anything.

"Malfoy, why do you persist? It's the same insults as always. You could at least be original. Of course that would require a few more brain cells."

Hermione and Luna joined Harry right then and Malfoy turned to his new target.

"Shut your mouth Potty. At least I've got a real witch and not some mudblood or loony."

As Harry tensed, Malfoy fingered his wand, ready for a spell to hit him. Ron had his wand out and Malfoy raised his own, turning his attention from Harry. That was a bad idea, as Harry stepped forward and reached for Malfoy's wand hand. He was surprised when he realized he was now an inch or so taller than his rival. His fist closed on Malfoy's wrist, squeezing into a pressure point. Malfoy's wand fell to the ground as Harry then took and twisted his arm single-handedly. Malfoy cried out in pain as he received first hand knowledge of Harry's recent training. Then Harry pushed him back a bit before releasing his arm.

"Go away Malfoy. You've been bettered."

Harry sneered down at his rival, who was now half bent over, cradling his arm. He tried to say something, but he was still catching his breath. Pansy showed a bit more intelligence than Harry would have given her when she pulled her boyfriend away and led him down the alley. Once they left, Harry turned to Ron, who had tucked his wand away.

"Thanks Harry. What did you do to him?"

"No worries Ron. I just showed him a bit of the exercise and training that I've been doing. No one insults Hermione or Luna."

Although Harry didn't see them, the Grangers were standing a bit behind him and Jean smirked at the fierce look that Harry gave with his statement. She didn't condone violence, but the boy had insulted her daughter and then drawn his wand on a friend. And at most Harry had left him with bruises and maybe a pulled muscle. She looked at her husband and saw him trying not to smile with satisfaction. It felt good for both of them to know that Hermione had a champion.

As the afternoon drew to a close, everyone finished their shopping and the group of friends gradually dispersed to take their purchases home for packing. Both Hermione and Harry went upstairs to pack as soon as they returned home. The last was done shortly before dinner and they went downstairs to spend their last night with the Grangers for a while.

Later that night when they went to bed, Hermione enthusiastically showed her boyfriend how grateful she was for his actions with Malfoy. Like her mother, she didn't condone violence, but his tempered response had given the prat what he deserved and had diffused the situation. Harry didn't think he had done much, but was not about to argue as Hermione lay under him, begging for more. As they lay together after and began to doze off, Hermione sighed and hugged Harry tighter.

"I'm going to miss this once we get back to school. I don't know how I'm going to sleep by myself."

Harry mumbled a vague agreement as his eyes drifted shut.


	11. A Busy Start to School

Chapter 11 – A Busy Start to School

Friday, September 1st, dawned to a brilliant day with all the residents of the Granger house waking at their usual time to allow for a last run. Harry assured Neil that they planned to keep up with running, at least until the heavy snows started. Then they could probably switch to exercising in the castle. There were certainly enough stairs around. At the beginning of summer, their run had been around 3.5 km, but now they had two routes that were either 5 or 5.2 kilometers. Despite the length, they had built up slowly and everyone was able to run it steadily. While Neil felt they could handle more, there was still a schedule to keep and his dental practice to run. Once they arrived back at the house, everyone showered and then enjoyed a last breakfast together as they talked casually. Harry had been waiting until the right time to say what had been on his mind and now seemed to be it.

"Neil, Jean, I want to thank you for this summer. It has been the best of my life. Thank you for welcoming me and for accepting my relationship with Hermione. I know this next year will be challenging, especially with OWLs, but I want you to know that I will look out for her. No one is more important to me."

"And I'll be watching out for you too Harry. You tend to attract trouble."

"And you'll make sure I'm ready for our tests."

"Of course."

The two had their eyes locked on each other as they smiled and once again Jean felt her heart twinge at the love that was so obvious. Then Harry turned as Neil spoke.

"Well, you're welcome Harry, but having you here has been a pleasure. You know you are always welcome, although I know you also will want to spend time at Potter Manor."

"And when I do, you're all invited. You saw how much space the place has."

Neil nodded in thanks and then the Grangers began the clean up while Hermione and Harry went upstairs to pack their few last minute items. Once they were done, Harry talked to Hedwig and she bobbed her head when he suggested that she fly on ahead. He knew she didn't like being in her cage. Once she was out the window, Harry turned to his girlfriend and they curled up in the window seat together to talk for a bit. Soon they would find it harder for quiet minutes alone and decided to savor the time. Promptly at quarter past nine, Hermione woke a sleeping Crookshanks and put him in his carrier while Harry took hold of both their trunks and headed downstairs. That was one definite advantage to his training over the summer, the trunks were much easier to handle. The Grangers were waiting and soon they were on the road to King's Cross.

The drive took just over an hour given the morning traffic and Neil got lucky on parking, putting them inside the station at half past ten. After goodbyes all around, the Grangers were left on the muggle side of the platform as Hermione and Harry stepped into the magical world. As soon as they arrived on platform 9 3/4, they saw Luna first and walked toward their friend. Her father was his usual unusual self and seemed a bit disconnected, leaving quickly after. The three friends didn't have long to wait before Neville joined them. Then others began to arrive in a steady stream. With fifteen minutes until the hour, they boarded the train and claimed a compartment. The Weasleys had yet to show of course, but they saved a couple of seats. Hermione saw Daphne pass by at one point, but she was careful not to notice the Gryffindors and Ravenclaw. Soon enough they would make their status public, but for now the aloofness was necessary.

With two minutes to spare, the Weasleys arrived in their usual flurry. Ron and Ginny joined the compartment, while the twins went to join others from their year after a quick hello. Then the whistle sounded and they were officially on the way.

The ride to Hogwarts was long, taking just over six hours. The time was used to catch up with different friends as everyone mingled and stretched their legs. Ron and Hermione had received prefect badges just a couple of days before. Included with Hermione's was a note for Harry from McGonagall that detailed her displeasure at the headmaster overriding her decision to make Harry a prefect instead of Ron. Harry appreciated the note, but thought he would have plenty to keep him busy, especially as he tried to catch up in Arithmancy. With their duties, Hermione and Ron were called away for a meeting and later to walk the train during their shift. Ron grumbled and didn't seem enthusiastic, which frustrated Hermione. Harry tried to ignore it, although he sensed a row coming before long.

When they weren't busy with prefect duties, Hermione and Ron spent much of the time with their friends. Hermione of course spent most of her time reading. Harry read some, but also played two chess matches against Ron, one that he almost won. Gradually the long day dragged along and they finally arrived in Hogsmeade shortly before dinner. Hermione and Ron had prefect duties as they helped herd the first years toward Hagrid. In the meanwhile, Harry and Ginny saved them seats in a carriage.

The normal routine continued through the sorting ceremony and then Dumbledore stood to make his usual start of term announcements. One of those included the introduction of their new DADA teacher. Harry couldn't believe it when he saw the ugly pink witch who was the Minister's second in command. As soon as she interrupted the headmaster and gave her speech, it was obvious that the Ministry was taking steps to interfere at Hogwarts. Combined with the various looks that Harry was receiving from around the hall from those who doubted his story about Voldemort's return, it was all a bit much and he left as soon as he could. He gave Hermione a quick kiss before he escaped and promised he would be waiting in the common room when she arrived with the firsties.

That night the Gryffindor common room was raucous as everyone spent time catching up after the summer. A few avoided Harry like the plague, but he tried to not make too big of a scene. With the first being on a Friday, everyone had the weekend off before classes would actually start, which lent to the party atmosphere. Finally, shortly after midnight, McGonagall appeared in her tartan robe and ordered everyone to bed.

On Saturday morning, Harry and Hermione were up early to go for a run around Black Lake. Then, the rest of the weekend was spent lazily enjoying the last of summer outside or playing games with friends inside. Harry found it hard to relax though when he was being forced to sleep without companionship, as well as enduring the rumors and stares around the castle. Late in the afternoon on Saturday, Hermione dragged him into an empty classroom for a proper snogging. Whenever they got too heated in the common room, the whistles and catcalls had cut them short. Harry was ready for more and ready to cast locking and privacy charms when the door opened quietly. He was startled until he saw it was Daphne. He held his hand out to her and she came to him, accepting a long kiss. A couple of minutes later, Ginny and Luna joined them as well. Harry kissed each in turn while Hermione cast the charms on the room.

As soon as the charms were cast, Hermione pulled Daphne to her while Harry focused on Luna for the moment. The blonde was amazingly good with her mouth and tongue as she pressed up to Harry. When his hand wandered under her shirt to rest on her stomach, she shimmied a bit and move him up higher. As his hand rested on her modest breast, she moaned into his mouth and he could almost feel a palpable magic around them. Then Ginny came up behind her and started nuzzling her neck. When Harry took a break for a quick breath, Luna turned to kiss Ginny. Then Harry leaned over and kissed Ginny. As he did so, he looked over and saw that Hermione was laying on a table with her skirt around her waist and Daphne's fingers in her knickers. Ginny looked over and groaned when she saw them as she moved Harry's hand off her bum and to her front. As he cupped her, she moaned and pulled her pants down enough so that he could finger her. Meanwhile, Luna had fished Harry's cock out and was wanking him while they snogged and he got Ginny off. Hermione began to scream as Daphne laid over her and captured her mouth. Then Ginny collapsed against Harry with her own orgasm. Harry didn't know where to look or go next as Luna stopped working him. Then she dragged Harry over to Hermione, whose legs were propped up leaving her open for all to see. Harry needed no further invitation as he plunged into her. Meanwhile, Daphne lost her knickers as she perched over Hermione's face so that the brunette could eat her out. Luna recovered as she watched and gestured Ginny over to her. The redhead hadn't come yet and was more than ready as Luna pulled her pants down and began to lap at her core. The room was filled with sounds of slurping, grunts, and moans as what had been meant to be a meeting devolved into an afternoon of sex. When Harry grunted and poured himself into Hermione, Ginny was just recovering from the work done by Luna's excellent tongue and she drooled as she watched him fill Hermione to overflowing. Daphne came last and collapsed to the side as Harry leaned over and kissed her juices off Hermione's face as the noises subsided into heavy breathing as everyone caught their breath and the magic in the room seemed to snap. Once Harry recovered, he tucked himself back in his pants and helped Hermione up, followed by Daphne. Then they turned to their other two partners as the group all gathered together in a circle. Daphne was feeling a bit embarrassed by the sudden escalation of this unusual partnership, even if the only person Harry had taken was Hermione, but she hid it well as Hermione grinned at her and Ginny spoke up.

"Wow, that was bloody hot. What did you call us here for again Hermione?"

The brunette shook her head, still a bit surprised and needing to refocus.

"Actually, I called us here to talk about when our next member should be approached and how we all want to move forward. It looks like we've already carried forward with the second item though. I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised at the enthusiasm. Not that I minded."

"Neither did I Hermione. I can't believe how much better it was to have someone else get me off. Of course, I don't have a lot of experience. I'm still a virgin, so it may take me a while until I'm ready for Harry. I think our combined magic was amplified more than we realized."

"You're not alone there Luna and I think you may be correct. There is a reason why I'm known as the Slytherin Ice Princess. Of course, the slim pickings in my house don't help. I'm a bit surprised by what just happened, but I don't feel bad about it. At least not the sex with the rest of you. I don't quite understand, but we're all quite strong magically, combined with my suppressed hormones, I was definitely caught by surprise. I do want to wait before I'm ready for Harry. He is a bit intimidating."

"Well, you know I won't push any of you, but watching you together is something else. Wow."

Hermione was looking a bit glazed and shook her head to refocus.

"So, back to when to add our next member. I'm hoping Susan will agree. If we want to be ready by the winter solstice, I'd like to have a chance to establish our relationships first and we will only have a few months."

"I agree Hermione, but we just moved the five of us quite a ways along. Maybe wait a couple of weeks. Then allow some time for the next person to integrate with us before finding the last."

A couple of others nodded in agreement and everyone decided that the plan was a good one. They all stayed and talked a bit longer, but the few tables and stone floor in the empty room weren't very comfortable and everyone agreed that finding a better place to relax with privacy should also be on the agenda. After a half hour talking among themselves, Daphne finished putting herself back together and slipped out first. Harry and Luna left a few minutes later and finally Hermione and Ginny were the last to leave as they all tried to be careful about advertising their relationship.

Monday saw the start of classes for everyone. Thankfully for Hermione and Harry, the day brought Transfiguration, Herbology, and then Astronomy in the evening. They would face Snape on Tuesday, but a day's reprieve was welcome. That night also saw Tonks arriving for Occlumency training. She was scheduled for Mondays and Saturdays due to her current shifts within the Auror department. For the first time, she had six students as all of the potential coven and Neville joined her in the empty classroom that had been designated for the lessons. Ron had also been invited, but saw no need to volunteer for extra studies, even if Harry had explained that he would have to keep secrets if Ron couldn't protect his mind well enough.

The session went well with Daphne and Luna having the strongest shields. Daphne wasn't surprised since her father had made Occlumency an important part of her tutelage. Luna seemed to have natural shields that defied explanation, much like she did overall. When Tonks had tried a gentle probe on Luna, she had pulled away and shook her head at the strange landscape she had encountered. Ginny probably had the least of the coven, but had been diligently working on the skill. Meanwhile, Hermione and Harry had come a long way since the start of summer and Tonks thought that within a month they would reach Daphne's level.

As the session continued, Tonks was doing more than just the training. She was observing her students and trying to piece together some unusual observations about the group. Neville was definitely the odd one out, although the others seemed to welcome him. Still, there was a divider with him that didn't exist with any of the others. Even Daphne as a Slytherin seemed easy with everyone else. And it wasn't due to Neville's shields. They weren't superb, but he had obviously received some training from his grandmother, which was not unexpected for the scion of an old house. She couldn't quite puzzle out the friendships and set her observations aside for a time as the session drew to a close and she wished everyone a good evening.

Tuesday morning saw the dreaded first session with Snape for the fifth year Gryffindors and it was also a double. Everyone trudged down to the basement to face their least favorite professor. Much like the other professors, he gave a speech at the beginning about the importance of their OWL year. His speech was noticeably shorter though as he 'felt certain that only a limited few possessed the capacity to move forward in the noble art of potion making'. Harry suppressed an eye roll and quickly focused on the first potion that they would be brewing for the day, the dangerously complex nerve revitalization potion that was the common treatment after exposure to the cruciatus. Even the double session barely allowed time to finish all the steps in the potion and didn't allow the additional cure time that was needed, but everyone took their samples forward when Snape called an end to the class. He sneered at Harry's dark green potion that had yet to reach the desired olive green shade, but since he didn't make an actual comment, Harry counted it as a win.

After double Potions, Hermione was off to Arithmancy and Harry went to the common room for his own Arithmancy self study. He and Hermione met up after for lunch and the talk at the table among the fifth years was about their next class, DADA with the pink toad from the Ministry. As soon as everyone was finished, they made their way upstairs one level and filed into Professor Umbridge's classroom. With everyone unsure of the professor's temperament, the group was on their best behavior. A few were practicing wand movements right as Professor Umbridge entered the room. Her immediate order of 'wands away' was followed with only a bit of a delay and general shock. She then gave her speech about proper instructions and that there would be no need for children to practice any dangerous spells. Harry wasn't the only one who tried not to choke, but Umbridge's eyes were watching him like a hawk.

"Mr. Potter, did you have something to say?"

"Yes. I find it foolish that we are taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, but will be doing no actual practice in defense."

"Dear boy, of course you won't. Why would a child need to defend himself? As long as you follow the rules and do as your told, you risk no harm."

"Right professor. Just like I didn't risk any harm when I watched Voldemort be resurrected and dueled him in the graveyard where his muggle father is buried."

"LIES! Detention with me tonight Mr. Potter. Arrive promptly at seven. Now, class, you've been told lies over the past few months and now you need to know the truth. The Dark Lord is dead and has been for fourteen years. Any rumors to the contrary are delusional. Now, turn to page eight and read your first chapter. There will be no need to talk."

Harry was about to fire a response at the toad when Hermione's hand on his arm quieted him. He forcefully flipped the book open to the first chapter and spent the next five minutes scanning the worthless text. It included such choice advice as 'making sure to grip your wand firmly' and 'placing your feet at a wider stance for balance'. It was worse than the book that Quirrell had used their first year. The only thing he had to be grateful for was that the class was only a single session. When he finished the reading quickly, he had time to stew and began to mutter under his breath.

"The bloody fool! No harm! Right. Cedric certainly came to harm."

Unfortunately, the toad seemed to have excellent hearing and looked at him furiously.

"A week's detention Mr. Potter! "

Only Hermione's arm around Harry allowed him to calm. He glowered for the rest of class, never touching his book again. The minute class was over, he was out the door. His magic raged as he stepped outside and finally lost control. Everyone around him scattered except Hermione as she threw up a shield to protect everyone else. His wand wasn't out, but a wind whipped down the corridor that was soon charged with so much static electricity that sparks flew everywhere. Hermione's hair was a fright as she was immersed in the storm, wrapped around Harry as she tried to calm him. Unnoticed near them was Professor Flitwick who had sensed and heard a commotion. Finally, Hermione pulled Harry's head down and claimed his mouth with her own. As she drove her tongue into his mouth, his attention was finally diverted as he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. While she would never admit it, Hermione's fear had been overtaken by arousal as her magic called out to such a powerful wizard. They were oblivious to anyone around them until Ginny cancelled the shield and stepped over to wrap her arms around them both.

"You two are hot and I'm bothered, but you have quite an audience now."

Ginny's words finally broke through to both of them and they pulled apart as Harry returned Hermione to the ground. As they looked around, they noticed Professors McGonagall and Sinistra, as well as Flitwick, and close to fifty students had responded to the unusual display of magic. Thankfully, Umbridge remained oblivious in her lair. Flitwick was the first on the scene, but gave Minerva a nod that she acknowledged as she stepped forward to take charge of her lions.

"Mister Potter, Miss Granger, perhaps we should talk in my office. Oh, I suppose you as well Miss Weasley."

The three followed their head of house, wondering what else was waiting them in punishments. Once they were in her office and the door was closed, they all sat while the professor cast heavy privacy charms.

"Alright, who wants to go first? Am I correct to assume that your location outside Madam Umbridge's classroom is a clue?"

Harry nodded and took the lead as he detailed his argument and the deplorable situation in the DADA classroom. McGonagall looked unhappy, but resigned. Then Hermione detailed her own involvement and why she took drastic steps to distract Harry. Ginny didn't have anything to add, although the professor wondered why she was holding onto Hermione's arm.

"Well, thank you for explaining what happened. Now I need to explain to you something that is unpleasant. The Ministry is refusing to acknowledge the Dark Lord's return as you know and the Minister is personally scared for his position. Along with a fear of being removed, he fears Dumbledore taking over and this has led to him placing Madam Umbridge here, within the enemy camp, as he sees it. I am well aware that her teaching skills are non-existent. Merlin, Dolores only achieved an acceptable OWL in DADA by two points and never took a NEWT. She only has one NEWT actually in Charms and she didn't get that until four years after leaving school. Anyway, I digress. I need to implore you to not aggravate the situation. I'm sorry, but I can't help with the detention. At this early date we don't have enough reason to challenge her. As for the display outside the classroom, you are aware that overt displays of public affection are not allowed in the hallways. For that, I must deduct ten points each from Miss Granger and Mister Potter. I will commend you Miss Granger for the quick thinking and shielding of the other students and give you 25 points for that. Now, please try to suffer through this and let me know if the situation with Dolores degrades any further."

All three agreed and left the office when they were dismissed. They knew that McGonagall's hands were tied, but she had at least seen that their point deduction was negated. The three left for the Gryffindor common room and tried to study for a while before then moving to the library to join Luna. They saw Daphne in the halls, but were still having to remain aloof from her, which was difficult.

After dinner that night, Harry arrived at Umbridge's office promptly at seven after spending several minutes meditating to try to calm himself. He entered the room and tried not to gag. A color charm had changed all the walls pink. On the walls were a collection of plates with kittens on them. Madam Umbridge sat behind an ornate desk, almost blending into her pink walls. Harry stepped in when summoned and just stood, waiting for his instructions.

"Good evening Mister Potter. Tonight you will be doing lines. Please sit at the desk in the corner."

Harry did as told and Umbridge came to set parchment and a quill in front of him.

"Now, you will write 'I will not tell lies'. Continue until I tell you to stop once the lesson has…sunk in."

"Yes professor, but I have no ink."

"Oh, you won't need ink."

Harry suddenly had a sick feeling what was coming, but just nodded as she turned back to sit behind her desk. He began writing as she told him and he felt the sharp pain in the back of his hand that indicated his suspicion was correct. He knew Gringotts was allowed to use blood quills, but also knew that it was a point of contention with the goblins since the devices were considered borderline dark items. He couldn't believe that Umbridge would legally be allowed to do this. He glanced at his hand and saw that each time he wrote the line, the cuts seemed to take longer to close over. Gritting his teeth, he decided to keep writing enough to make the evidence obvious. Somewhere between fifty and sixty lines, Umbridge turned to look for a book in a bookcase behind her and Harry saw his chance. He grabbed the quill and parchment and darted for the door, shooting a quick protego behind him in case Umbridge responded. As soon as he was out the door, he ran flat out toward McGonagall's office. Years of running from Dudley had made him quite fast and there was no way the toad would catch him. A few students were startled as he barreled by them. When he reached McGonagall's door, he knocked quickly. It took a moment for her to answer since she was actually in her private apartment next to the office, having settled for the night. As soon as she saw Harry, she gestured him in and locked the door.

"Mister Potter…"

"Professor McGonagall, I request that you, as deputy headmistress, summon the Aurors immediately. I, Lord Harry James Potter, have need to pursue charges of assault upon my personage. If possible, it may be advisable that the head of the DMLE be present as well since the charges I wish to pursue will be against a top Ministry official."

McGonagall showed just a moment of surprise. She had questions, but she also knew Harry's rights as the lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House. Instead of responding, she stepped to her floo and called for the Aurors. She also asked for Madam Bones to attend if at all possible. The Auror on duty might have found the request unusual, but he was a former Gryffindor and was not about to question his head of house. Only minutes later, a middle-aged woman dressed in a tailored robes with her hair pulled in a bun and wearing a monocle led two young Aurors out of the floo.

"Good evening Minerva. What seems to be the problem?"

Harry stepped forward to introduce and explain himself. During the time he had been waiting he made a point of not cleaning the blood from his hand, which still dripped a bit and was noticed by Madam Bones.

"Good evening Madam Bones, we met briefly during the last Wizengamot session. I, Lord Harry James Potter, requested Professor McGonagall to call for your attendance as I seek to press charges against Madam Dolores Umbridge for assaulting a lord."

"Good evening Lord Potter, I see you appear injured. Can you explain or do you need medical attention first?"

Harry declined needing immediate medical attention and proceeded to tell Madam Bones what had happened during his detention. He handed over the parchment and quill as evidence and then she also examined his hand. Although she was trying to remain professional, he saw the muscle in her jaw twitching with anger. It was a sign he was familiar with, one of the clues he had learned to watch for with Uncle Vernon. As soon as he finished, Madam Bones turned to the Aurors.

"I think the evidence is quite clear. Please go arrest Madam Umbridge immediately. Bring her back here to the floo."

The Aurors received directions to the appropriate office from McGonagall and then left the three of them while Madam Bones returned her attention to Harry.

"Lord Potter, might I suggest that you make your way to the hospital wing before they return. I will join you there shortly."

Harry thanked her and McGonagall before leaving to do as she suggested. As soon as Madam Pomfrey saw him and heard his story, she started to mutter and looked quite angry. Her tone softened though when she turned back to Harry and offered him a dish of murtlap to soak his hand in. That was how he was found when Professor McGonagall and Madam Bones reached the hospital wing.

"Lord Potter, Dolores Umbridge has been taken into custody and I will be pursuing multiple charges against her, now including assault on an Auror as well. I will most likely need a memory record to enter into evidence. Are you familiar with providing memories?"

"I've heard of it, but I don't know how it's done. I wanted to offer a memory for the case against my godfather, but no one has contacted me."

"Yes, I have Shacklebolt investigating that. I suppose it would be useful to just get both now if you don't mind?"

Harry agreed and was surprised at how simple the process was.

"Thank you Lord Potter. Now, is there anything else I can assist with before I wish you a good night?"

"No, thank you. One question though out of curiosity. Are you any relation to Susan?"

Madam Bones' face softened as she replied.

"Yes, she is my niece and I have raised her since her parents were killed when she was a toddler. I know she tries to not mention my position. It's not easy being the niece of a high ranking Ministry official."

"I understand. I was just curious. Thanks for your help."

Professor McGonagall left as well while Madam Pomfrey attended to Harry. Another half hour soak with the murtlap saw the cuts healed. She added a paste after and then bandaged his hand, asking him to return in the morning and dismissing him for the night.

Instead of going straight back to the Gryffindor tower, Harry diverted to the library. He wasn't surprised to see all of the girls there, studying together. Even Daphne had joined with the excuse that she had an Arithmancy assignment that she was working on with Hermione. As soon as they saw his bandages, the books were forgotten and Ginny had to cast a muffliato on their table as Harry told what had happened and four upset witches worried over him. They were all pleased that Umbridge was gone, but ready to administer their own justice for what she had done. Eventually the group settled and was able to study for another hour before separating to their different houses.

The rest of the week progressed much the same, with the exception that DADA classes were cancelled for the rest of the week while a new professor was found. Harry found himself spending time with the different girls, usually in the library or occasionally an empty classroom. While their focus was schoolwork, he was enjoying getting to know each of them better. While Hermione was the most brilliant, none of the others were far behind her. He would definitely have to stay on his toes to keep up with them.

While he enjoyed time with the group, Harry also made time for just Hermione. As his first girlfriend and best friend for years, he couldn't help thinking of her first. He knew though that he needed to spend individual time with the others, but he wanted to ensure that Hermione was alright with the idea. He was yielding to her for all the major decisions in their multiple relationship. From what he had read, lords from centuries past who had multiple wives and consorts always had a head wife whose opinion was held above all the others. For him that was Hermione. On Thursday evening, they had just finished with her tutoring of his Arithmancy work and set the book aside to take a break when his mind switched to more personal concerns.

"Mione, I've been wanting to talk to you about the others. I've enjoyed spending time as a group, but I also make time for just the two of us. Like us going up to the astronomy tower last night to watch the sunset. I think I want to do the same for the others, but I'm not sure what to do? I'm a bit limited here in the castle. What do you think about the idea?"

"I've been waiting for you to come to that conclusion Harry. I know this is strange for us, but it's important that we build individual relationships as well as the coven. You don't need to worry about planning something big, just time alone to enjoy each other's company or talk. Like we did last night."

"Alright. Maybe a walk around the lake? Except what if we're seen? People will question if I'm alone with other witches without you."

"Yes, the secrecy is still our hardest part. Maybe there's somewhere you can go on the grounds that is less known? _Hogwarts: A History_ has a map, but it only covers the main valley. Maybe I should check for a more detailed map in the library. Or ask someone who has lived here for a long while, except that will require giving explanations to a professor."

Harry's eyes lit up and he grinned and kissed her as inspiration struck.

"Brilliant Hermione! As always. Dobby?"

The excitable elf appeared in front of them with a faint pop.

"The Great Lord Harry Potter sir calls Dobby?"

"Yes Dobby, thanks for coming. And please, it's Harry, or Lord Harry if you must. I need to ask a question, but it has to remain a secret for a while. Even from the headmaster."

"Of course. Dobby is a free elf. Headmaster pays Dobby, but does not own Dobby. Dobby will keep all secrets for anyone he wishes, especially the great Harry Potter."

"Um, thanks. What I need is a place to go where I can have some privacy with a friend. I need to make sure that no one sees us. I'd like a place outside, as well as inside the castle for when the weather gets cold. I was thinking about taking a walk around the lake, but everyone will see us."

"Dobby can help! Lord Harry can take his walk and Dobby will cast elf charms on Lord Harry and friends. No one will notice you. Inside the castle, Lord Harry can use the Come and Go Room. It is also called the Room of Requirement. It will give you what you require and will be much better suited for Lord Harry and friends than a dusty old classroom like this."

"Really? Well both options sound great. Where is this room? Can you show us?"

Dobby reached and grabbed Harry on one side and Hermione on the other. Before they realized what was happening, they had been transferred from the third floor to the seventh and were staring at the ridiculous tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance ballet. It was a notable landmark in a castle full of portraits and tapestries.

"Wow Dobby, that was…um…interesting. Definitely better than normal apparition. Now, where is this room?"

"The room will appear when you specify your need Lord Harry. Just walk three times from here to there and think of what you need."

Harry shrugged and proceeded to do as instructed. As his third pass finished, a carved door began to materialize in the stone wall across from the tapestry. Glancing at Hermione, Harry took her hand and they opened the door and stepped through. Inside they found a room that looked like a cross between the library and Gryffindor common room, with long study tables, bookcases along the walls, and several comfortable seating areas throughout. Harry thought that it may be good to include colors from the other houses as well. As soon as he finished the thought, some of the furnishings began to change. Then he thought that having a place to practice spell casting would be helpful. Again, the room changed, appearing to expand at one end as a third of the room became a training arena, complete with practice dummies.

"Wow, this is brilliant Dobby. So the room can give us anything?"

"Dobby has talked with the head elf of the castle. Fip says that the room cannot create that which does not exist in the castle and must follow the rules of absolutes. Dobby does not understand, but still he thinks the room is wonderful. When Winky drinks too much, Dobby brings her here for privacy until he can sober and heal her enough to return to the kitchens."

Hermione's mind was churning through the details of the room, but decided to focus on the last information from Dobby.

"What? Winky is working here now?"

"No Miss Hermione. Winky has nowhere else to go. Headmaster offers to pay her, but she refuses. Other elves do not like her and do not let her do much. Winky is wasting away. She should let the Hogwarts' magic help her like Dobby does, but she does not."

"Alright, let's see if we can straighten this out. What is this about Hogwarts' magic? What is going to happen with Winky?"

"Dobby comes to Hogwarts after he is freed. It is good to be away from bad wizards, but Dobby needs magic. Without a master, Dobby will have no master and will die. Hogwarts is powerful enough to keep Dobby alive. Winky will not allow this though and will not survive much longer."

Hermione took a deep breath, trying to control her frustration and anger. Harry's arm around her helped.

"So, an elf needs to bond to a wizard to feed off their magic, or the elf needs to be in a strong magical location?"

"Miss Hermione is correct, except even Hogwarts doesn't give Dobby the same power he once had."

"Alright, so if you bonded to someone, your power would increase? What about Winky? Would she wish to bond again?"

"Yes, an elf's power is dependent on his master. Winky wants a family, but feels she is not worthy."

Hermione shook her head and looked at Harry. He could tell what she was thinking, but he wanted her to say it first.

"Harry, I hate to even consider this, but it doesn't look like there's a choice. I know the Potters once had more elves and will probably need more in the future when you live at the manor full time. Do you want to see if they will bond with you?"

"I agree with the solution Hermione, but only if you are sure. I don't want to cause problems between us. You know I will treat them well."

"Of course. And no, it won't cause a problem. Maybe though you should call for Milly, since he's your head elf."

"That makes senses, but first let me check with Dobby. Dobby, would you like to bond to House Potter with me as your master? Would Winky be willing to bond as well?"

The small elf suddenly began to tremble as large tears leaked out of his eyes.

"Great Lord Harry Potter wants Dobby? Yes! Dobby will be a Potter house elf. Let me collect Winky."

Dobby popped out and was gone for less than a minute when he returned with Winky. She was in a sad state, wearing a filthy pillowcase. Her skin was grey and waxy and her arms looked like sticks. It was easy to see she didn't have long. Taking Hermione's advice, Harry called for Milly. He knew that calling his elves to him at school was possible, but also knew that the long distance took a lot of power, so he had decided to avoid doing it often. Still, Milly appeared as soon as he was summoned and it was easy to see he was upset when he saw Winky in her current state.

"Milly, I called you here to witness and help me add two elves to House Potter. This is Dobby and Winky. Dobby is a free elf that I helped to leave an evil family. Winky was unfairly dismissed from her former family. I've just found out that elves need to bond to a wizard or witch to help their magic. Can you help me with bonding them? Will you and the others mind adding them to House Potter?"

"Tis no bother Lord Harry. More elves will help when you and others visit the manor. I can perform the binding rite if you give me your hand."

Harry held out his right hand and Milly took hold of him as he laid Harry's hand on Winky's head first. He muttered a spell and Harry felt a large draw on his magic, then he noticed Winky visibly brighten as she gave him a small smile. Milly then moved his hand to Dobby and repeated the same incantation. The draw on his magic was less, but the effect was greater as Dobby began to hop up and down with joy. Harry laughed at his antics and gave him a minute to calm.

"Now Milly, I think I will send Winky with you if that's alright? Dobby, I'd like you to stay at the school to help me with tasks like what we discussed before. Whenever I don't need you, you may help in the castle. Does that sound alright to everyone?"

The elves all agreed and then Milly turned away from Dobby's antics and back to Harry.

"Lord Harry, Winky will take time to regain her strength and won't be able to help me with the travel. Since it is a fair distance, may I draw strength from you for us to return to the manor?"

Harry readily consented and Milly touched his arm for a moment. Harry felt a brief draw on his magic and then the two elves were gone, leaving just Dobby waiting eagerly for orders.

"Dobby, I have another question about your abilities. If, for example, Hermione and I were to stay here in this room after curfew, would you be able to return us to Gryffindor tower?"

"Ooh yes! Dobby can take you each back to your beds. Dobby can go now and close curtains with a charm so that no one will see you aren't there, then you call later and Dobby will put you in bed."

"Harry! You can't be…"

Harry grinned and pulled her to himself, silencing her with his lips. As she melted under his hands, the elf disappeared to his tasks in each of their dorms. By the time the young lovers pulled apart briefly, their tops were gone. Hermione looked to the side and saw the room had been changed and now featured a large four poster bed. Then Harry's hands fondled her breasts and the last of her reserve melted away.

Despite feeling a bit guilty of her less than prefect worthy actions, Hermione was too happy and tired to much care when Dobby returned her to her bed in the early morning hours. She had been missing time with Harry and the amazing room they had discovered would now remedy that. She still wished she could sleep in his arms, but they had class the next day and her roommates would expect to see her about.

The following day after classes, Harry finished his Potions homework and then pulled Daphne aside to a back corner of the library to talk.

"So Daphne, since your work is done, would you like to go for a walk with me around the lake? I've arranged a way that we won't be noticed."

"Really? Well, I'm intrigued, and I will agree to accompany you."

Harry grinned and called quietly for Dobby. The elf had been expecting the call and popped in, took hold of their hands, and popped out. He delivered them to the south side of the lake, which offered a good view of the sunset. Then Dobby cast the elf notice-me-not charm before leaving them alone.

"Well then, according to Dobby, that charm will provide us the cover we need. Elf magic is quite interesting."

Daphne had to agree as she took his hand and they began a leisurely walk. He first explained about Dobby and Winky, as well as the new room they had discovered. He planned to show it to the others over the weekend. As the last rays of sun dipped down below the horizon, they paused and Harry pulled Daphne to him. She yielded herself to his firm hands and supple lips as his light kiss soon became more. She may be known as the Ice Princess in her house, but Harry definitely knew how to thaw her. After a good snog, they walked the rest of the way in twilight, discussing school and touching on home a bit. It was a good time to get to know each other better and Harry resolved to do the same with the others, as well as put the effort into cherishing each individual despite their unusual multiple relationship. As they neared the castle, Harry called Dobby back and the elf took Daphne to a bathroom not far from the Slytherin common room, while he returned Harry to his dorm. They each then ate at their house tables that night, with no one the wiser about their relationship.

That weekend Harry managed quiet time with each of his witches. The lake walks were popular and he enjoyed getting to know them all better. On Sunday evening the entire group gathered together on the seventh floor and the others were introduced to the Room of Requirement. Although the room couldn't produce food, Dobby happily catered dinner for the group in the privacy that the room allowed.

The first week of school was now past and they were all settling in and growing accustomed to their partnership. It remained to be seen how it would work in the long term, but the early indications were good.


	12. Susan

Chapter 12 – Susan

The new week started with a surprise when the students filtered into the Great Hall at breakfast. A new person was sitting at the staff table and it was someone that a few of them knew, Tonks. Harry caught her eye and she smirked and gave a little wave before continuing to eat. He went and sat between Hermione and Ginny and the table was already buzzing about the pretty young witch at the staff table. For the day, Tonks had toned down her usual punk flair and instead opted for blond hair with just a bit of pink highlights. Ginny was the one who voiced the most likely possibility.

"I wonder if the Ministry sent her to teach DADA? An Auror would certainly be better qualified than Umbridge and better than our past professors, except maybe for Professor Lupin."

Harry nodded, agreeing that Ginny's guess was the most likely. When Dumbledore stood toward the end of the meal, he briefly introduced the new Professor Tonks and confirmed what they had already surmised. In the wake of Umbridge's arrest, the Ministry had yielded to Madam Bones' suggestion of an Auror to take the position, and had allowed her to assign the person of her choosing. Harry personally thought that he would have to thank Madam Bones. Having Tonks in the castle would make their Occlumency lessons easier, plus he knew that Tonks would actually teach students to realistically defend themselves. Unfortunately, he didn't have DADA until the next day, so he would have to wait to talk to the new professor.

The rest of the day went by normally with the usual sniping from Malfoy and harassment from Snape being the only sour notes. Harry made up for it by having Dobby help him take a walk with Luna around the lake before dinner. Although she was a bit difficult to understand at times, Luna was incredibly sweet and as smart as Hermione. During their walk, she talked a good bit about her mother, as well as the accident that had killed her and injured Luna in the process. Her father had never been the most grounded, but losing his wife had been too much and he disconnected from reality even more afterward, often leaving his daughter alone to fend for herself. It gave Harry a unique perspective to understand Luna and why she was the way she was. When their walk finished, Dobby delivered them unseen to a side hall near the library and they exited so that it appeared they had just been in the library studying. They met up with Hermione and Ginny along the way, further eliminating anyone of suspecting a new romance might be blooming.

The following day brought the much awaited first DADA class with Professor Tonks. When Harry and Hermione entered, she was perched on her desk at the front of the class, legs swinging. Her hair was pinker than it had been before and she was wearing the modern cut half robes that were popular with Aurors and duelists for freedom of movement. She gave off a hip, cool vibe. Once everyone found their seats, she gave a brief welcome speech and was about to proceed when a hand in the back of the classroom stopped her.

"Yes, Miss…?"

"Abbott mam, Hannah Abbott. I was just wondering when you were going to take attendance? I have a friend in the hospital wing and I'll need to take her assignments."

"Yes, I was informed about Miss Tinker's accident. Thank you for collecting her assignments. As for attendance, every classroom in the castle has a charm on the door that is tied to my student sheet and will mark your attendance. Professors who call roll do it so that they can become familiar with faces. Truthfully, having to remember twenty plus names all run together doesn't work for me. We'll all come to know each other as the class progresses. Now, about your books. The books Madam Umbridge had you purchase are useless. I've got another lot of books on order with actual defensive techniques explained. After discussion with the board and Ministry, these will be paid for by the school since you've already bought the other books. You will have to return them at the end of the year, unless you wish to purchase and keep them. Now, I've reviewed what you've studied so far on defense and it has been haphazard at best. I want to get a better feel for what you actually know, so we are going to spend the day with a round of dueling. In these duels I want you to only use stinging and tickling hexes offensively. You may use whatever defensive methods you wish. Everyone on your feet, let's begin!"

Everyone quickly stood and soon found their desks swept to the sides of the room. Tonks split them up evenly in an apparent random pattern, although Harry noticed she separated houses and friendships as much as possible. Once the first round of duels was complete, she took the winners and paired them off, then repeated it again as the group was whittled down. Hermione was one of the last six, but then she slipped and Dean got a lucky stinging hex in on her. The next round left only three combatants, so Tonks had Harry sit out and wait for the winner from the other two. Dean just barely came out ahead and then faced off against Harry, who everyone had already seen was by far the best of the group. Dean barely had time to duck the first curse before a barrage hit him and he was down, laughing as three tickling hexes hit him. Tonks applauded and stepped forward.

"Very good Mister Potter, ten points to Gryffindor. Now everyone, let's talk about what you learned during your duels and while watching others duel…"

"The rest of the class was spent in animated discussion of various techniques, with all class members allowed to equally voice opinions while Tonks helped to elaborate on the usefulness or risk that the techniques carried. By the time class dismissed, everyone was excited about their upcoming year in DADA and hoped their new professor would be staying. As the class began to leave, Tonks held Harry and Hermione back. As Harry stepped over to her desk, he saw a class list with notes and numbers beside each person. Harry grinned. He had thought she was testing them.

"Yes Harry, our exercise today had a secondary motive of allowing me to get a feel for everyone's capabilities. I am trying not to be biased by prior friendships, but you are by far the stand out in the class. I won't single you out every day, but some days I may ask you to assist me. Especially if we have odd numbers. I have personally found that helping others is a great way to hone my own skills. Will you be alright with that?"

Harry readily agreed and then he and Tonks began to discuss her plans for the next class, where she would start with shielding techniques. She already knew that Harry had above average shielding from watching him and Hermione practice over the summer, so Harry was going to alternate practicing with those in the class who seemed to be struggling. While he and Tonks talked, Hermione sat down to do some homework. While she worked, she watched her boyfriend and their new professor working together. They had a shared passion for the subject and it was hard to believe at times that there was nearly seven years age difference between them. Of course, Harry had always been quite mature because of the way he was raised. As he and Tonks worked through the class list, her idea of adding Tonks to their group was reinforced. She knew the young Auror got along with the other witches, and she and Harry definitely seemed compatible. Having her as a professor would complicate things. Well, Tonks would be the last they would try and she would think about how to work it out.

After a half hour or so of discussion with Tonks, Harry and Hermione left the classroom and retreated back to the library, where the others soon joined them as their various classes finished.

The rest of the week passed quickly with the workload of OWL year starting to make its presence known. Harry and Hermione continued with their morning runs, but knew it wouldn't be long before the Scottish weather drove them indoors. In addition, the Room of Requirement conjured up a well-equipped weight room that they used a couple of times a week. Ginny and Luna joined them for morning runs most mornings, but the others weren't up for waking that early. All of the group though found the weight training interesting and Harry and Hermione eagerly passed on what they had learned from Craig.

As for personal relationships, Harry had taken time with each of the girls as he could, but Hermione was the one who he saw the most. They snogged a fair bit in the late evenings, but each was missing their intimacy. On Friday night he decided that she needed her own date night since he hadn't taken her on a walk like the others had enjoyed. With Dobby's help, he made sure the Room of Requirement was ready and led his first girlfriend to it after they finished their afternoon studies. As soon as they stepped in the room, Hermione was smiling. Harry had specified the room in detail and now he led her to a table for two under low hanging antique glass lamps. The table was dressed to perfection with silver and crystal. As soon as they were seated, Dobby appeared wearing a full waiter's tux. He carried a bottle of white wine that he opened and let breathe while they talked. The rest of the meal passed in languid splendor as they took their time to work through a fantastic five course French menu. At the end, they both praised Dobby, who looked like he would burst the buttons on his shirt.

With dinner complete, Harry had been unsure about his next idea, but figured that Gryffindors charge forward. With that in mind, the room filled with the sounds of music and he took Hermione to a small dance floor that had appeared. He still was not great at dancing, but reveled in just being able to hold Hermione to him. They whispered lightly to each other as they circled the floor slowly and Harry thought he was in heaven. He liked and cared for the other girls, but this was his Hermione.

As the dancing wound down, they parted just a bit and then came together in a drowning kiss that consumed them both. When they separated for air, Harry was surprised that the room had changed again without his direction. Then he saw the smirk that Hermione gave him and realized where the design for the elaborate bedroom that they now stood in had come from. Taking her hint, he pulled her close and kissed her again as his hands began to wander and soon unzipped the back of the simple black dress that she had worn for the evening. She was not idle as his shirt came untucked and his buttons undone. The music had started again and they move lazily around the room to the simple tune while clothes were discarded and a hundred light kisses met any bare skin that lips could find. When Harry began to kiss her breasts, Hermione moaned and led them back to the bed. Once there, she laid back and gave him a saucy smile that told him exactly what she wanted. Grinning, he dropped his trunks and then crawled over her. As their lips met again, he slowly entered her, savoring her moan of delight that met his lips. While his body screamed for release, Harry held back and set a slow pace, much like that of their dance. He built up the pleasure until his love was begging for more. At that point, he sat back and pulled her legs up as he drove himself deeper and gradually sped up just a bit. The change in position was perfect as Hermione soon threw her head back to whimper through her first orgasm. Surprisingly, Harry found himself holding out as he continued to work her. As she neared her second crescendo, he felt the burning pressure that signaled his own release and joined her as a mutual wave of ecstasy embraced them both. As the tremors faded from their bodies, they collapsed together in delightful bliss.

Sometime later that night Harry woke to the feel of his lover's hand working him back to full hardness. He still had enough presence of mind to grab his wand and cast a tempus, finding that it was well after curfew. Hermione was busy running her fingers through the small thatch on his chest and leaned up to kiss him before completely surprising him.

"I know what time it is Harry and I don't care. I've missed sleeping in your arms."

Harry groaned, but then thought of a solution as he called for Dobby. The elf appeared, but had his hat pulled down to cover his eyes, causing the young lovers to laugh.

"Dobby not be wanting to intrude on Lord Harry and his love. Dobby not be seeing anything. What can Dobby be doing for master?"

"We're going to stay here tonight Dobby, but we need to make sure no one knows. Can you help?"

"Oh yes! Dobby go and charm your beds so no one knows you is missing."

With that the elf popped out and Harry returned his attention to the witch who had just crawled down to kiss his weeping cock. Smiling, he surrendered to his love.

It was mid-morning the following day before the young couple had Dobby pop them back to their dorms, after a lazy breakfast in bed. Since it was Saturday, Ron was sleeping in as usual, but Harry's other dorm mates were already gone. Hermione had her own dorm free so that no one noticed her late 'awakening' when she appeared from behind her drawn bed curtains.

After a bit of studying, the Gryffindors joined their other friends at lunch and everyone knew that there was nervous tension. The day was designated for Hermione's talk with Susan about possibly joining the coven. While she and Susan talked, the others except Harry were due to continue research with some books that Hermione had recently received from the headmaster. Harry meanwhile had Quidditch practice. Lunch passed quickly and Harry gave Hermione a fortifying kiss as they all got up to leave the table. The Hufflepuffs were also getting ready to leave and Hermione went to wait just outside the door of the Great Hall. Thankfully, Susan was only with Hannah and Laura, so the audience was less as Hermione stepped forward.

"Hi Susan! I was wondering if you had a moment to talk? I want to double check something with our Runes homework."

"Sure Hermione. Han, Laura, you go on ahead. I'll see you outside in a bit."

Once the other two witches had left, Hermione led Susan into a nearby classroom and began casting heavy privacy wards all around. Susan's eyes grew large as she continued.

"Alright Hermione, what gives? Certainly not Runes homework."

"No, something infinitely more important. I need to ask you something first though and I want you to be completely honest. Don't worry about me being upset. How do you feel about Harry?"

"What? I don't…"

"Please Susan, honestly."

"Okay, well, Harry is great. He's definitely at the top list of eligible wizards for our year. Maybe one or two from the older years are equal to him. I know this isn't news to you though. I suppose I had a crush on him last year. Then this summer I got to see more of him. He really hates the fame and such, but he does what he has to, what is right. He embodies a lot of the qualities of a fairy tale knight without trying. If he wasn't with you, I'd be happy to date him, if he would have me. But anyone who knows the two of you knows who has had his heart for years."

"Thanks for being candid Susan. I wish Harry and I had seen what everyone else did sooner. Now I have another question that may be a bit shocking but will also probably start to clue you on where my thoughts are going. What is your opinion of multiple marriages within wizard society?"

"Damn…sorry. So you're looking for a second wife maybe for him? Look, the idea is not that difficult. I have to tell you though that I am probably looking for a consort contract if I can. I made my peace with the idea maybe a year ago. I am the last of the Bones line and we are a Most Ancient and Noble house like the Potters, Blacks and a couple of others. I don't want the line to end and I am the last Bones since I don't think Aunt Amy will ever marry. I also know that it means that I will have to be happy with a comfortable relationship, versus a loving marriage. You're muggleborn, so I know the idea is probably strange."

"Actually, at the beginning of summer it might have been, but I've been studying more about pureblood traditions. What I am about to tell you next is as much as I can tell you until we can verify that you have good mental shields. Still, I need your oath that even what we discuss here will not go further."

Susan seemed momentarily shocked and then nodded as she drew her wand. Hermione led her in the oath and then continued as she explained about Harry being the one to defeat Voldemort and needing help to do so. Then she explained about her research into covens and her decision to form a seven person coven, including those who had already agreed. By the end, Susan was beyond stunned and Hermione gave her a couple of minutes to contemplate. Finally, Susan was able to reply.

"Alright, wow, I had not expected all that. I suppose the idea that it has to be Harry to take care of Voldemort isn't too surprising with everything that has happened to him though. Still, we're taught that covens are dark magic. I can understand what you are saying about why that idea has been perpetuated. I have to admit, the idea of being with Harry in a consort contract is appealing. I know he would treat me well. You mentioned a relationship with other witches and being open as well. I can't say I have much experience, but I have experimented a bit. Gods, this just seems crazy to consider. Still, it is intriguing. Look, I don't think I can answer right now. I appreciate you deciding on me. I understand now that you've been testing and analyzing us throughout the summer. Can I have time to think on it?"

"Of course. This is a major decision. Thanks for considering it. Also, I have some books that I'll loan you with information that might help. When you are ready, let me know. We won't move forward with our seventh member until you have."

Susan nodded and thanked her as Hermione dissolved the privacy wards and they stepped out of the room and separated. Rather than join her two friends, Susan decided to take a walk outside by herself to think about all that Hermione had told her. Meanwhile, Hermione went outside to watch Quidditch practice. Ginny was there, as well as Luna, and she briefly mentioned that Susan was still considering the proposal. Both seemed fine with that, after all such a big decision shouldn't be made quickly.

After practice, Harry flew over to give Hermione a passionate kiss. He looked at the other two and wanted to kiss them as well, but settled instead for two quick blown kisses with his back turned to anyone else that may be watching. Then he left for the showers, which Hermione assured him he needed.

That night was designated to be a special night with Harry for Luna. He had contemplated a dinner like he had done for Hermione, but Luna needed something different. So, she ate with him and others at the Gryffindor table and then the two supposedly went their own separate ways. In actuality, Dobby popped them up to the top of the astronomy tower for his surprise for her.

The night was perfect, with just a bit of a chill and wonderfully clear with all of the stars visible, as well as the Milky Way. A blanket was laid out with flower petals scattered on it and a bottle of champagne set with a chilling charm. While the tower was popular with couples, Dobby had worked his elf magic to set a repelling charm on the lower stairs so that no one would disturb them. Luna may not seem to be the most romantic, but even she squealed a little bit when she saw the setting. Harry then pulled her to him and kissed her gently before helping her to sit on the blanket. The champagne was poured and they sipped it lightly as Luna leaned against Harry and they spent an hour or so just talking. As they each finished a glass of champagne, Harry called for Dobby and his next surprise appeared, complete with Dobby's usual style. Arrayed in front of them were seven crystal bowls, each with a different type of pudding. Luna seemed awestruck for a full minute before turning to Harry and kissing him thoroughly. Then she picked a bowl and began to sample. She alternated taking spoonfuls and feeding spoonfuls to Harry as she savored each. The bowls weren't large, but by the end they were both more than full as they laid back on the blanket to cuddle. As they did, an invisible Dobby appeared to clear the empty bowls away.

After a few more minutes of passionate kisses, they realized that the time was getting late and reluctantly decided to end the evening and call for Dobby. Harry wished Luna a good night just as the elf took her back to a hallway not far from the Ravenclaw tower. Seconds later, the elf returned for Harry and deposited him near Gryffindor. Harry thanked Dobby once again and then made his way to the common room with a grin on his face.

The new week dawned and Susan continued to contemplate Hermione's proposal. Meanwhile, the usual schedule of classes and homework continued. Hermione thought it was a bit surreal in a way. One moment she would be focused on her schoolwork like any schoolgirl and the next she was planning the downfall of a dark lord and building a coven.

The usual routine was broken on Monday afternoon when Harry received a summons to the headmaster's office. He thought that perhaps Dumbledore had new information to share, but when he arrived, he was surprised to see Madam Bones waiting with Dumbledore. She saw his confusion and addressed him as soon as he took the seat that the headmaster offered.

"Good afternoon Lord Potter. I have some news that I thought would be better delivered in person. It will be in the Prophet tomorrow and I thought you should have advance warning."

With that, Madam Bones stepped forward and handed Harry a couple of sheets of parchment. He looked them over for a minute and began to grin as he became aware of the import of what he was holding. One parchment was an official acquittal for Sirius on all charges, with trial deemed as 'unnecessary due to corroborating evidence'. The other parchment was a warrant for the arrest of Peter Pettigrew. The description on the warrant was even updated with his animagus information, as well as his silver hand. Harry jumped up and let out a small whoop before reaching to shake Madam Bones' hand.

"This is fantastic! Thank you so much! I had thought this would take longer and would need an actual trial."

"Well, that was considered, but given the flimsy evidence to begin with, combined with your memory, the judicial committee of the Wizengamot preferred to take care of this in an expedited manner. I will say that the fact that the heir of House Black had this perpetrated on himself greatly upset the committee. The Minister isn't entirely happy, but now he's ready to pin the blame on his predecessor so that's mollifying him somewhat."

"Now if he would just believe me about Voldemort's return."

"Well, that would mean big problems for him and Cornelius is a man who doesn't like problems, big or small. Anyway, your memory was viewed by the committee, as well as several senior Aurors and I can guarantee that not everyone will stay silent. Personally I am doing what I can with my current resources to increase training and recruiting. I wish I could do more, but without the Minister on board, I'm limited. I also am using your memory to focus attention on the persons named in the graveyard, even if they're behind masks. None are really a surprise, but this gives me a good reason to increase pressure on them. We may even find out where the Dark Lord has made his base."

"That sounds good. I know you are trying to do what you can. I've been getting some instruction in politics and I understand it a bit more than I used to at least. Can I ask a favor?"

"You can ask. Depending on what it is, I might be able to help."

"If you find out anything about the Dark Lord's current location, can you let me know?"

"Really? I know you are skilled for your age, but I hardly think you are ready to raid the Dark Lord's base."

"Mister Potter, I really think you need to focus on the other items we've discussed…"

Harry turned and looked at Dumbledore, setting his jaw firmly.

"I understand headmaster, and those items are being addressed. Madam Bones, I have no intention of raiding Voldemort's base. Yet. I simply want to stay informed. He seems to have an unnatural interest in myself especially."

"Alright, I'll keep you informed if I can, as long as it doesn't jeopardize our operations. I know Auror Tonks has been training you on Occlumency. How are your shields?"

"Tonks says that my shields are quite good, maybe only a handful of top Legilimens could break through. Of course, Voldemort is one. Except he would need to get eye contact with me for a good minute, which I don't intend to allow."

"Well that's good to know. It gives me a bit of comfort in regards to sharing information. I don't know what else you and Albus are working on, but if it can help us, please share information with me as well. You should know I'll be discreet."

"Of course, I'll think on that."

"Very well, that's all I have for now. The Prophet will have the news on the front page in the morning. Also, we are almost done gathering additional evidence on Dolores. She is under house arrest right now and not very happy about it. Due to the pending charges, her vault is also frozen. The trial should be in the next week or two and you will receive a summons beforehand."

With that final information, Madam Bones said goodbye and left via floo. Harry had a lot to think on, but first he needed to focus on Sirius. Dumbledore seemed to realize where his thoughts were.

"I take it that you would like to make a quick visit to give Sirius the news now?"

"Yes. Except first I want to tell Hermione. I'd like her to come along."

"I understand, but I can't authorize that without her parents' permission. Sirius is your godfather, so you can visit as family, but he is no relation to her."

Harry frowned. Why did he have to be so rigid sometimes? Oh well, he didn't have time to argue. At least the next weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend. Maybe Sirius could meet up with them then.

"Fine. May I at least floo to his house and deliver the news?"

"Yes, go ahead. One other matter before you do though. I have been quite busy with additional business over the last couple of weeks. I would like to meet with you on Sunday and discuss more of Tom Riddle's background like we discussed at the end of June."

Harry nodded in the affirmative and then proceeded to the fireplace, calling out number 12 Grimmauld Place as the flames turned green and he stepped through. Seconds later, he stumbled out into the sitting room and heard the familiar chime that alerted Sirius that he had a visitor. His godfather walked in shortly thereafter.

"Harry! Good to see you! But why? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fantastic! Madam Bones just visited me at school. The news will be in the Prophet in the morning. All charges against you have been cleared and a warrant is being put out for Peter."

Sirius stood staring at Harry in numb shock. He began to tremble a bit and Harry thought he might faint, so he stepped over and grabbed his godfather, leading him to a couch to sit. Then he turned to the nearby bar and poured a shot of firewhiskey. Sirius remained silent, but accepted the drink, downing it quickly. As his ears began to steam, he looked up at Harry and finally smiled.

"You did it pup! You got me cleared. I'm free!"

Sirius then found his feet and stood to embrace Harry. They stayed hugging for a full minute before Sirius released him.

"We need to celebrate! Can you stay?"

"I wish I could Sirius, but Dumbledore only allowed me to come briefly and he wouldn't let me bring Hermione. She still hasn't heard. Next weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend. I thought maybe we could celebrate then?"

"Brilliant! I'll arrange it with Rosie at the Broomsticks. Bring anyone you want."

Sirius still seemed in a bit of shock, so Harry gave him one more quick hug before going to floo back to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore spoke to him briefly and then Harry left to find Hermione and deliver the news to her.

Harry found Hermione with several of their friends in the library. Knowing that the news he wanted to deliver would not be conducive to the quiet that Madam Pince demanded within her domain, he asked to speak to her elsewhere. Seeing the grin on his face, Hermione couldn't refuse. Ginny and Luna decided to join them while Parvati and Padma stayed to continue studying. They didn't go far before finding an empty classroom to meet in. As soon as they entered, Harry grabbed Hermione and swung her around.

"Fantastic news Mione! Madam Bones came to tell me herself. Sirius is free!"

Hermione's small scream was echoed a second later by Ginny while Luna clapped in unison with them. Once Harry set Hermione down, she demanded details and he gave her the rest of the story, including the upcoming celebration at Hogsmeade that next weekend. Once everyone calmed down, they left for the Gryffindor common room to give Ron and the twins the news as well.

The rest of the week breezed by for Harry and his friends. Even Snape's usual remarks couldn't get Harry down. He also had dinner in the Room of Requirement with Daphne on Wednesday night. The meal was fabulous and then they retired to a comfortable lounge where they cuddled and talked, with kisses intermixed while they did. Hands wandered a bit, but nothing too far, as Daphne was still a bit more reserved than the others, despite the one unusual episode that she had participated in a week earlier when the other witches had been present. They discussed that and she admitted that something in the magic had been different then, although she was careful to reassure Harry that it was nothing against him. It did seem to be a portent for the future of the coven. The time was good though for Harry to get to understand her more as she dropped more of her ice shield and he learned more about her upbringing and why she appeared as she did.

Thursday morning saw another date of sorts when Ginny announced that she was going to go flying the next morning since she didn't have classes until ten. Harry also had his first class period free and she happily agreed to have him join her. What she didn't know was that he had made additional plans with Dobby as well. They met in the common room and then headed out into the brisk morning. The Quidditch pitch was still glistening with early morning dew as they began a few laps and then worked on some trickier maneuvers. It felt good to have the wind blow in their faces, and they enjoyed a friendly competition as they tried to out fly each other. Once they were both chilled and out of breath, Harry waved Ginny down and they landed in the center of the pitch. Once there, he called for Dobby and the elf appeared with everything that Harry had arranged for. Soon he and Ginny were seated on a blanket radiating a warming charm while the happy elf served them a full breakfast spread. Ginny was surprised and thrilled as they enjoyed a private breakfast as the sun came over the hill and began to warm the pitch. Once they were done eating, Dobby disappeared with the dishes and they still had enough time to lay back on the blanket and snog for a bit before having to return to the castle.

Later that day, Tonks rescheduled her Saturday lesson with them for Thursday night in deference to the Hogsmeade gathering on Saturday. When she arrived for the lesson, all of her Occlumency students were starting to meditate. She quickly halted the exercises and had another plan for the evening.

"Alright everyone, time for a pop quiz of sorts. I need to see where everyone is at. Harry and Hermione have been tutoring with me for the longest, but the others have some experience from your families. I might as well start with Harry. I'm going to give you three tests. First, I'll try to read you with warning. Second, I'll read you without warning at some point while we duel. Third, I want you to try to read me and then I will use your attempt to rebound back on you. You have five seconds to prepare, starting now!"

Harry took a deep breath and sunk behind his shields, which he already had up and ready. He was starting to check them when he felt something crash into them. Then the intruder backed off, only for Harry to almost immediately feel something new, a more subtle probing, like a knife looking for entry. He was happy that he was able to repel the probing without expending too much effort.

"Very good Harry. And you don't look too much the worse for wear. Now, I'm not the strongest Legilimens, but you should hold up given the little effort that took you. Now, let's duel…"

Harry and Tonks soon took up their familiar dueling positions as they began a heated battle around the classroom. A bit over a minute in, Harry felt a small probe that got more insistent. It took more effort to repel the attempt while dueling and he got clipped by a stinging hex once, but he maintained his shields.

"Alright Harry, let's stop here. I don't want to wear myself out. You slowed a bit while keeping the shields up, but not bad. Something to practice. Now, I know we haven't done much with this next exercise, but you know the principal of legilimency versus occlumency. Go ahead and try to read me."

Harry nodded and sent a searching probe at Tonks. He hadn't worked offensive mind arts as much as defensive, but he soon recognized the formidable barriers that his tutor had in place. Her unique skills seemed to translate to her barriers, which changed shape as he pushed against them. Then he was suddenly propelled away and was hit with her counter-attack. She almost slipped in, but he threw up his own shields and stopped her before she got further than his first layer of defenses. Tonks nodded and took a deep breath.

"Excellent. Better than I expected. Now, let me try Ginny. You've had the least training of anyone here. Maybe give me a break after Harry."

Tonks' tests with Ginny went well on the first and not bad on the second. On the third though, Tonks managed to get through her shields completely before being thrown out after seeing a few images. Still, she didn't do badly. After Ginny, Tonks took five minutes and a pepper up potion before moving on to Luna. The tests for Luna went even quicker since Tonks didn't even recognize what she did for shielding. However Luna's defenses were constructed, they were so foreign that the Auror couldn't even figure out how to penetrate them. After Luna it was Hermione's turn and she did almost as well as Harry, leaving Tonks wondering if she wanted to try Daphne. After a break and some chocolate she went ahead and Daphne was also quite good, although she slipped a bit during the duel. All told, everyone had shields ranking at least seven out of ten on an Auror scale. That put them all at a Junior Auror level, which indicated that they would be cleared for operative level intelligence, but not lead level intelligence if they were in the DMLE. They each had work to be done, but Harry quietly thought to himself that he would be able to share more information with the other coven members soon.

By the end of the testing, Tonks took another pepper up and declared the evening done. She was looking a bit worn, but the exercises had been quite helpful and everyone's morale was boosted.

The following day was Friday and saw everyone anxious for the end of classes. This was magnified by the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend that had the entire castle buzzing. As Hermione and Harry were leaving the Great Hall after lunch, Susan came alongside them and asked to talk. Hermione grinned and led the way, looking for an empty room that they could use. Once they found a space, she warded the room with heavy privacy wards and then turned to smile at the Hufflepuff.

"Alright Susan, I hope you don't mind all that. Better to be safe after all."

"Of course Hermione. Especially since you probably know what this is about. I've been giving a lot of thought to what we talked about. I've also read the material you gave me about the history of covens. It still seems strange after what I've learned, but I realize history is not always straightforward. This hasn't been an easy choice, especially since I know that you couldn't tell me everything yet. Still, I can see the potential power of the coven and if it will help defeat Voldemort, I think it's a more than worthy goal. It helps that I'm friendly with the others involved. Plus there's Harry. I don't think it will be a surprise if I said I've had a bit of a crush on him. I mean half the school probably has. Also, I have my family to think about. I want to carry on the Bones name. If this becomes something long term and I can get a consort contract, then that will be the best I could hope for. I know Harry would treat me well. So, I guess what I'm saying is that the pros outweigh the cons and I'm in. I have to ask though, Harry are you really sure about this?"

Harry smiled and reached to take Susan's hand.

"Yes Susan, I'm sure. I took some convincing myself, but I yielded to Hermione's immensely superior wisdom. I feel honored that each of you is offering this. I will do my best to always treat you fairly and appreciate each of you. I want to make sure you know though that Hermione will always be my first love. I believe I can come to love each of you, especially as our magic works together, but she is my Lady Potter."

"I understand. That is how it should be for a lord. Truthfully, what you are offering me is more than I could expect from almost anyone else. I know we are still early in all this, but if this does turn into something more permanent, then you will need to discuss this with Aunt Amy."

"I know. The plan right now is to perform the ritual on the winter solstice. We have time until then to research more and spend time together. If all develops as we intend, then I plan to talk to each head of house."

Susan nodded and Hermione stepped closer to take her other hand.

"Welcome then Susan. Since it's Friday night, we had all planned on meeting in the Room of Requirement after dinner. Dobby is going to serve dessert and we can spend time together. Harry has been making a point of trying to have dates with each of us, which I'm sure he'll do with you on your own soon, but if you come tonight you can get to know everyone more. Oh, we're also all going to meet at the Broomsticks tomorrow for lunch. Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, is celebrating the charges against him being clear."

"That sounds like fun on both accounts. This is all a bit awkward yet, but I know it will get better."

With the plans all made, Hermione gave Susan a hug and then Harry did as well. They then dissolved the privacy wards and separated to go to their afternoon classes.


	13. Relationships

Chapter 13 – Relationships

Friday night found Harry and five witches meeting in the Room of Requirement. Susan was welcomed by all as the group settled onto comfortable couches. Harry found himself initially between Ginny and Luna.

Dobby set up a full bar of ice cream and fixings, allowing each person to make sundaes as they wished. Harry found himself not only eating his own, but being fed bites from both the witches at his sides. Then he looked over and saw Hermione and Daphne trading bites. They talked about everything as they enjoyed their treats, with Susan being the focus as the newest member. She was feeling and looking a bit nervous, so Hermione traded a look and nod with Ginny that saw Ginny getting up to trade places with Susan. Harry had his arms out and lightly settled an arm across her shoulders as he turned to kiss Luna. Susan smiled as she watched the group interact and settled into Harry's side a bit. He was careful to not initiate anything further with his newest girlfriend and she seemed happy. As the night progressed, Harry or others moved around the room as several board games appeared and the group split into two for different games. Throughout it all, Harry would occasionally pause for mini snog sessions with different girlfriends and all welcomed his attention. Several of the witches traded smaller kisses, but they kept the evening tame for Susan's sake. At twenty minutes before curfew, everyone split off to their different houses and Hermione felt reassured with the addition of newest member.

Saturday morning found the castle awake more than usual on a weekend, due to the Hogsmeade visit that was scheduled. Harry ate breakfast with his two Gryffindor girlfriends, but found himself missing the others. He also had to be careful about not being affectionate with Ginny. He knew the reasons that they needed to maintain their secret from the school at large, but he found some days were quite difficult. So far at least, their additional friends who had visited the island hadn't mentioned anything about him and Ginny. There were whispers and he knew that a few suspected something was going on with a possible threesome, but that rumor was something they could handle. It actually helped to have the smaller rumor deflect from what was actually going on.

Once breakfast was finished a large group of Gryffindors, as well as a few friends from other houses all gathered together as they made their way to Hogsmeade. The group totaled around twenty and included all of Harry's girls. With his arm around Hermione's waist, the others passed as friends. Only Daphne caused a bit of a disturbance when Ron questioned the addition of a Slytherin, an objection that both Harry and Hermione quashed quickly.

Upon reaching the village, everyone split into smaller groups to proceed with both necessary shopping, as well as general browsing. The plan was to meet back up at noon at the Broomsticks. Sirius had the back room reserved and, along with Harry and the five witches, Ron, the twins, and Neville were due to join the party. Sirius had also invited Remus, as well as Tonks, for the celebration. Harry enjoyed browsing with Hermione and Luna for a while, but then left them at the bookstore and went with Ginny and Ron to Honeydukes. After stocking up on treats, they walked toward the other end of the village, gathering friends on their way to the Broomsticks. As soon as Harry entered, he heard Sirius' booming voice calling to him. He found his godfather in the back, busy flirting with Madam Rosmerta. It was obvious from the discussion that they had been acquainted for a long time. Everyone greeted Sirius, Remus, and Tonks, as each person began to find seats and cold butterbeers were distributed. Once everyone had a drink in hand, Harry knew it was time for a toast. Standing, he held his glass high.

"A toast to my godfather Sirius and to justice too long delayed! May he make up for lost time as only a marauder can!"

Remus stood and seconded Harry's toast as glasses clinked and a cheer resounded. Sirius was beaming. During his long years in Azkaban, he had been careful to never dream of a moment like this. Now it was so much sweeter for seeming so unreal. Then he looked at his godson and smirked at the young witch who he had an arm around. Then he noticed another witch on the other side who seemed a bit close for casual friendship. He raised an eyebrow at Harry, only to have his godson smirk and look away. Hmm, it appeared they would need to talk soon.

With the toast done, Sirius' thoughts were diverted by the arrival of all kinds of food. Steak and kidney pie sat next to a huge pile of chips and several different puddings were spread around the table, all being favorites that Sirius had requested. The drinks continued to flow, but in deference to the younger crowd, Sirius stuck with ale. Once everyone was sufficiently stuffed, Harry had a surprise that he had requested from Dobby. The elf excitedly agreed and was more than happy to exercise a bit of creativity. Once the dishes were cleared from lunch, Harry called for Dobby and the elf appeared and set a large cake on the table. It was shaped and iced to look like a large black dog. Sirius roared when he saw the confection, while Tonks begged to be the one to cut into the cake. Remus happily declared after the first bite that it tasted much better than it looked. Harry even managed to convince Dobby to take a piece with him, even though the elf refused to sit with them.

Once everyone had eaten as much cake as possible, there was still quite a bit left and Sirius happily began dispensing pieces to other patrons of the pub. That signaled the end of the celebration as the students needed to return to Hogwarts. Remus and Tonks decided to stay a while longer and Harry felt certain that stronger drink was soon going to be served once the younger crowd left.

The next day was Sunday and Harry had a bit of a lie-in, but was still up before his dorm mates. He had a meeting at eleven with the headmaster for the promised discussion regarding Tom Riddle. It wasn't something he was necessarily looking forward to, but he understood the old adage about 'know thy enemy'. After a quick breakfast, he presented himself at the headmaster's office promptly and was surprised when he didn't leave for over two hours. By the time he did, he was left with much to ponder about the history of Tom Riddle. Most disturbing of all were the not inconsiderable parallels between himself and the young man who would become Lord Voldemort.

Harry's thoughts continued down their morose path until he almost literally stumbled into Luna as he continued a winding path down from the headmaster's office. She realized immediately that he needed to be redirected and took him by an arm. Their first stop was the library. Thankfully, here she found all the rest of his girlfriends. One look at Harry saw book bags quickly being packed. For once they didn't consider appearances and all left together and made their way toward the seventh floor.

As soon as they reached the Room of Requirement, Ginny called for Dobby and ordered a plate of sandwiches. Harry wasn't sure he was hungry, but his stomach decided otherwise as it called out as soon as the food arrived. All the witches surrounded him in support as he ate in silence, none demanding an explanation until he was ready. Surprisingly, the food helped to ground him and he found that he was ready to talk as his unnoticed hunger abated. As he munched on his last sandwich, he began to summarize the history of Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Without the addition of watching pensive memories, Harry's summation took only about an hour and then he answered a few questions from his girlfriends. It was Hermione who of course noticed he still seemed disturbed.

"Harry, what is it?"

"Don't you see? Tom and I are so much alike. Orphans, raised without a knowledge of the magical world, abused...I…I don't want to be like him."

"You're not Harry. You've known love. You had your parents love for over year. Tom never had that. It may not seem like much, because you can't remember, but that early year is important. And you have true friends. From the sound of it, Tom only had followers who were scared of him. I don't know how even then Dumbledore didn't see what he was."

"Dumbledore was too blind and forgiving. He thought he could fix everything."

Harry nodded and agreed with Ginny's statement as he thought about what Hermione had said. He hoped, wanted her to be right.

The group stayed in the room for a while longer, talking a bit, but mainly just cuddling and comforting each other. Each was lost in personal thoughts. It was one thing to think about Lord Voldemort as the hideous creature he now was, it was another to think of him as a lost boy with terrible gifts in a muggle orphanage many years before.

After their busy weekend, life settled back into normalcy at the school. Quidditch practices started two nights a week and homework increased for OWL year students, keeping Harry more than busy. Still, he made a point to spend time alone with each of his girlfriends. As a group, they often studied together and usually spent at least one night a week all together in the Room of Requirement. Susan was the newest to the group, but she fit in well and was growing closer to everyone. Even though she had doubts at first about the arrangement, Harry was incredibly thoughtful and she didn't feel left out at all. It helped that the other witches were all her friends and she couldn't help but admit to herself that watching Hermione and Daphne snog was more than hot.

The Tuesday after the first Hogsmeade weekend was Hermione's sixteenth birthday and Harry was determined to make it special, even though it was the middle of the week. When she woke, Hermione's first reminder of the day was the bouquet of two dozen pink roses that were hovering over her bed. She had to smile and shake her head as she thought fondly of a certain elf. When she arrived in the common room, Harry was waiting and greeted her with a loud 'Happy Birthday'. He then proceeded to snog her for a good few minutes. If Gryffindor house hadn't realized what day it was, they were most definitely aware by the time he led her downstairs to breakfast. Of course, she still had classes, but that evening Harry arranged a special dinner with all the coven members in the Room, which was unusual for the middle of the week. She had told him not to make a big deal out of it, but she should have known better. What really surprised her though was when Dobby served dinner and it was her mum's creamed chicken curry, Hermione's personal favorite. Obviously Harry and Dobby had been talking to her parents. Dinner was followed by an amazing vanilla custard cake. Then came gifts and once again, Harry spoiled her with a set of platinum spiral arm cuffs set with random small sapphires, her birth stones. The other witches gifted her special quills and more practical items, all of which she greatly appreciated. Then they each gave her a brief kiss and left her with their final gift as the room changed and she and Harry were given time alone to truly celebrate.

While school was going well, outside of Hogwarts was another matter. Voldemort's followers had initiated a few small raids on muggles, but had not advertised their presence. Muggle authorities investigated, but found nothing to link any of the crimes together and magical authorities never linked the Death Eaters to anything. That changed on the Thursday after the first Hogsmeade weekend. The Daily Prophet arrived with a large headline: _Death Eaters Bring Death to Muggle Shopping Mall._ The Great Hall was quieted as everyone read the news. Harry felt his stomach twist as he read about the supposed explosions that claimed the lives of nearly forty innocents. That was how the muggle news was reporting it. They also reported some unusual fireworks in the sky that settled into the smoky image of a skull. To magical readers, it was all too obvious what the truth was. A small group of policeman responded to the violence, but were too late. As usual, the Death Eaters visited and were gone within minutes, leaving grisly remains behind. Harry pained over the news and wished he could do more, the solstice couldn't come soon enough. Hermione sensed his mood and wrapped an arm around him. Soon though it was time for classes and the news had to be set aside.

The normalcy of school continued at Hogwarts, but the reports of Death Eaters continued. Mostly it was smaller attacks, but the Ministry was finding it harder to make excuses. The Minister still insisted it was only rogues left from the last war and refused to acknowledge Voldemort's return, but anyone reading between the lines could see that his denials were getting thin. Hermione was concerned for her parents and Sirius checked in with the Grangers a couple of times to reassure her. They were unhappy with the news, but Neil carried his gun everywhere and they remained wary when they were away from the house. In addition, Harry sent a letter to Silverclaw and arranged the purchase of two Gringotts portkeys for the Grangers. In case of emergency, activating the portkeys would see them delivered to a reception room at the bank. They weren't cheap, but Hermione was reassured and made her appreciation quite apparent to Harry.

On the Saturday evening two weeks after the Hogsmeade weekend, Harry and all of his girlfriends decided to have Dobby serve dinner in the Room of Requirement. It had been a long week, with an especially difficult exam in Transfiguration on Friday, and everyone was ready to relax. The stress of keeping his extra girlfriends a secret was a lot when they all ate in the Great Hall, so the room was their refuge. Dobby always delighted in a challenge and made a selection of different foods from around the world. Next to chicken cordon bleu was pad thai and then a tray of lasagna. Although they were underage, several of the witches were used to wine with dinner at home and Dobby supplied a bottle, as well as plenty of butter beer. The entire room was set elegantly with hundreds of candles everywhere and Harry was happy to sit between Susan and Hermione, while others leaned across the table to feed him. He didn't know that he deserved to be so lucky, but he thought perhaps fate was making up for his years at the Dursleys. All the food was wonderful and everyone heaped praise on Dobby.

Once dinner was finished, the room provided their comfortable living room with a fireplace, large sweeping sofa, and comfortable rugs underfoot. Harry kicked off his shoes and wasn't complaining when Luna placed herself in his lap. They snogged for a while before Luna pulled Susan over to take her place. So far Susan had only traded a couple of demure kisses with Harry and he was careful to not push her, but she was more than willing as she drove their kiss further and moaned as Harry pulled her close. As they snogged, Ginny and Hermione started to enjoy each other next to them and Susan was only mildly shocked when she came up for air and saw that Ginny was bare from the waist up. She decided that Daphne needed a turn and, as they switched, Harry leaned over to kiss Ginny as he fondled her for a minute before returning his attention to the new witch on his lap.

The cycling of partners continued over the next half hour or so, until Hermione found her way to Harry's lap. The fact that she was wearing only knickers was not something he was objecting to, although he needed to loosen his own pants as his erection throbbed. Meanwhile, Susan found herself facing Daphne's breasts as Ginny and Luna snogged. Susan had only ever kissed one girl and she and Hannah had only had an occasional snog to experiment, so this was all new. Daphne smiled and put an arm around her gently.

"Only do what you're comfortable with Susie. The rest of us have been together longer. And most of us had some experience before. It will help though if we continue together since there's only one Harry."

"Thanks Daph. I'm still a bit unsure, but then part of me wants this. Or I'm just randy. Not that I shouldn't be with what I've been watching. You're so beautiful though and I'm just me, freckles and all."

"Really? You're gorgeous and gods, you have amazing tits. I can't believe how big you are already."

Susan seemed shocked, but saw that Daphne was being honest. The desire in the blond Slytherin's eyes couldn't be ignored and she leaned in to kiss her gently. Daphne responded happily and Susan found herself moving closer as one kiss turned into more small kisses as Daphne's lips traced down her neck. Now Susan definitely couldn't ignore the burn in her belly and the ache between her legs. Deciding to be brave, she reached to fondle Daphne's breast, ready to pull back if her advance wasn't wanted. Instead, Daphne moaned, causing a delightful shiver where her lips met Susan's collarbone. Then they were snogging again and Daphne's hands began to roam. As her fingers found Susan's nipples, any hesitation fled as Susan tossed her jumper aside. Shortly thereafter Daphne reached into her bra and freed one of her large breasts. When her mouth closed on the nipple, Susan almost came right then. She needed release as the ache grew in intensity, driving her hand into her pants as she started to finger herself. Daphne's mouth rejoined hers as their tongues dueled and Daphne fondled her, while Susan sped up the pace between her legs. Minutes later, she came powerfully as Daphne held her on the couch, rubbing herself on Susan's leg and drowning her cry as she came. They continued like that for many long minutes before Daphne's movements on her leg drove the blond to her own climax and they lay together to catch their breath.

Across the room, Harry and Hermione had moved off the couch and her knickers now hung off the corner of a nearby table as she lay sprawled on the thick rug as Harry fucked her hard. As Susan recovered from her self induced climax, she watched Harry plunder Hermione, whose staccato yelps signaled her own approaching peak. As Harry pulled back, Susan couldn't believe the size of him. Was that normal? It must hurt, especially at first. Still, Hermione was certainly enjoying herself. Daphne sighed next to her.

"Gods, I just came, but they're getting me hot and bothered again. I haven't taken Harry yet, but that is awful tempting."

"I agree, but I think I should wait. This was the first time I've come with someone else watching and I'm still adjusting to all this."

As the two entwined witches watched Harry work, on the other end of the couch the last two of their group were arranged in a 69. Luna came first, with an amazingly shrill squeal. Her convulsions shook the whole couch and redirected Susan's attention to them as she watched and furthered her education even more. Luna recovered and continued working Ginny as both Harry and Hermione came suddenly with a joint scream that was drowned as their mouths met. Ginny groaned, needing her own release, but not quite reaching that point. Groaning, she pulled away from Luna and smiled at her lover.

"Sorry Lu, you probably need a break. I just can't quite come."

"Oh well Gin, thanks for getting me off. I don't know how you manage to suck so hard."

Harry was still recovering as he lay next to Hermione and groaned as he looked around the room, twitching at Luna's words. Hermione watched his eyes devour the other witches and smirked. She was definitely still weary from the multiple climaxes Harry had driven her to, but she knew he could go again in a few more minutes. Looking over at Ginny, she raised her hand toward the ginger haired witch and Ginny padded over to sit next to her.

"Gin, I know you haven't gotten off yet. Why don't we see if we can't get Harry ready to go again."

Ginny groaned and looked toward Harry. He held his arms out and she moved to lay next to him as they began snog. Luna scrambled off the couch and Harry gasped when he felt her mouth engulf him. She hadn't blown him yet, but she seemed to be a natural. It didn't take long before he was ready, but he decided to let Ginny lead. She pulled back and smiled at him, his responding grin was all she needed as she lowered herself onto him with a groan. Then she leaned forward just a bit and adjusted her movements until she was riding Harry at a moderate pace with every downward plunge hitting her just right as she felt the burn spread into a delightful heat that suffused her as she felt her oncoming orgasm. Harry felt the change in her rhythm and grabbed her hips just as she threw her head back to scream his name. He then took control and began to thrust up into her, drawing out her scream and her orgasm as she trembled over him. When he finally released into her, he reached to tweak her clit, finally driving her into oblivion as she briefly passed out on his chest while he continued pumping cum into her.

A minute or so later, Ginny came around and found herself still blanketing Harry as she felt the incredible relaxation of orgasmic release combined with almost palpable magic in the room. She kissed Harry a few times and then rolled off so that she was between him and Hermione, who leaned over to kiss her as well. Luna was still by Harry's legs and he pulled her up for a kiss before waving the other two witches on the couch over to join them. Susan cuddled into Luna's side, while Daphne went to Hermione's side. Harry looked around and then settled back. Yes, fate was definitely making up for lost time.

The group lay together happily for a while with nothing more than small kisses or an occasional pet. They talked as they enjoyed their time together in front of the fire that had magically increased to accommodate their mostly naked bodies. Everyone was warm and delightfully satisfied as the group moved forward in their mutual bonding. Unfortunately, life intruded when a clock in the corner signaled that curfew was a half hour away. After a few more minutes, everyone began to get up and cast cleaning spells before then combing the room for lost clothing. Once everyone was clothed, they left carefully in groups to go to their separate common rooms.

As October progressed, Hermione began to think more about the final addition to the coven. She still thought Tonks would be a good fit when she watched the Auror interacting with Harry. They enjoyed a playful, teasing banter and didn't seem to be as far apart in age as they actually were. Still, there was the problem that Tonks was now a professor and there were rules about fraternizing with students. She also paid careful attention to the current members of their group and was more than happy with how everything was developing. She had expected more issues than had occurred. Yes, different people disagreed on different points, but compromises were forged where needed and overall the group was maturing well. Actually, the group was maturing faster than she had expected. She wasn't sure if it was the magic that they often felt when they were all together, or if it was just that they were all just stressed and randy teenagers, or maybe a combination, but the intimacy of the group hadn't taken long to develop. Of course, she had chosen each carefully after watching their different interactions over the summer. And she also knew Harry as well as anyone did. Still, she had a trace of lingering doubts over her last choice and began to analyze others that she had initially crossed off her list.

One of those that Hermione decided to test a bit was Parvati and she invited both her and Padma to a group study session for Charms. Luna and others were there as well, so Padma wasn't the only Ravenclaw. She carefully maneuvered everyone so that Parvati ended up next to Harry. Her roommate seemed happy with the choice and couldn't help to flirt, which was her natural state of being. Harry was gracious, but even Hermione could tell he was getting annoyed with her flighty comments and inability to focus for longer than a few minutes. Meanwhile Padma seemed oblivious to Harry, or anyone else unless she had a question and then she usually asked Hermione. In the whole time, she maybe said two words to Harry. By the end of the afternoon, Hermione once again marked the twins off her list. Later that evening, she and Harry went for a chilly walk after dinner and he brought up what had happened during their study session.

"So Hermione, I know I am usually clueless, but even I noticed you watching Parvati awfully close this afternoon. Are you testing her for the coven? If so, please stop. She drives me batty."

Hermione sighed.

"Yes Harry, I was testing. Honestly, I already had her and Padma off the list, but I've been second guessing myself and wondered if my decision was made too quickly. It was quite obvious though that I was correct before. So, you don't have to worry."

"Gods, thank you! So far you've done great and the other girls are wonderful. I've been a bit surprised at their willingness, but we all seem to be meshing well. You're the smartest witch in the school, so I shouldn't be surprised at your judgment. I don't think we should rush this though, even if it takes longer to find the last person. I know you had Tonks in mind, but I imagine her being a professor now has made that difficult."

"Yes. So, I'm looking at maybe a runner up or two. I've been thinking about Tracey Davis. I have a class with her and Daphne and she is hard to know, but quite smart. Very Slytherin. Then there is Hannah. I know she and Susan are close, but I thought Neville was interested and decided to back off, but he hasn't done anything."

"Well, you're the lead, but not Hannah. Neville is definitely interested. They're both very quiet, but I think there may be more there than is obvious. As for Tracey, I don't really know her. I'd be happy to spend time with her if you think she might fit."

"Alright, let me see what Daphne thinks. She knows her better than anyone else."

Hermione did talk to Daphne later that day about her friend. She seemed a bit unsure since Tracey was halfblood, but her muggleborn mother had passed when she was young and her father was hoping for a pureblood match. Hermione decided not to give her details on the coven idea, but had Daphne invite her to a couple of study sessions.

Over the next week, Hermione had a chance to get to know Tracey a bit more. She was definitely brilliant, but had an carefully cultivated air of indifference. She was more the ice queen to Daphne's ice princess persona. She got on fine with some of the girls, but had little tolerance for Luna's spacey comments and seemed to always be evaluating Harry whenever they talked, even if it was just to discuss their Transfiguration essay. After a bit, she decided that she didn't think it would work and Harry confirmed her opinion one afternoon when they took time to themselves for Hermione to tutor him in arithmancy.

"So Hermione, before we start in on numbers, can we talk about Tracey? I don't think she'll work."

"Yes, I know. Even after just getting to know her, that seems obvious."

"Good. I'm glad she's off the list. I felt like I was under a microscope around her."

She laughed and shook her head before accepting a kiss from her boyfriend and then refocusing their attention on arithmancy, while trying to forget her own worries about their potential coven.

Hermione's concerns remained for the rest of the week until dinner on Sunday evening. When they all arrived in the Great Hall for dinner, they were surprised to find Sirius was there, sitting at the staff table. Harry shot his godfather a look and received a smirk and a wave of acknowledgement. Tonks watched and shook her head as Harry helped Hermione to her seat before sitting and waiting to hear what this was about. They didn't have long before everyone was seated and Dumbledore stood to address the room.

"Good evening everyone. Before we partake in another fine meal, you have undoubtedly noticed an addition to the staff table. After Madam Umbridge's precipitous departure, the Ministry kindly provided Auror Tonks to take over as your DADA professor. I know that she has done an admirable job, but teaching is not her actual job and the Auror corps can most definitely use her skills with Voldemort now returned. With that in mind, I have been seeking a replacement for the position. Professor Black has accepted since he has now been cleared of all charges and is a free man. He holds an Outstanding NEWT in defense and was a hit wizard before he was wrongly incarcerated. He will be joining Auror Tonks on Monday and Tuesday as he becomes familiar with the position, before taking over full teaching duties on Wednesday. Please join me in welcoming Professor Black."

Harry was in shock, but managed to recover his wits and join the applause that greeted his new professor. He would be having words with his godfather later, but was happy with the announcement. Hermione meanwhile was next to him, enjoying the news, but also figuring how this would affect her plans for the coven.

After dinner, Harry and Hermione stayed behind and Sirius smiled as he saw them approaching. Hermione just shook her head as Harry went to embrace his godfather.

"What the hell Sirius? No warning?"

"And where's the fun in that? Anyway, this only became official two days ago. Dumbledore has been scrambling because Amy really wants Tonks back. I'm glad to see you're happy about this. Don't think I'll be cutting you any breaks though."

Harry snorted and shook his head, he already knew that. Then Hermione had a question.

"So Sirius, will you be staying in the castle?"

"Mostly. I may take some trips out. Hard to rebuild my social life if I stay here. Still, I'll be around more than Tonks has been able to be."

"That's what I was wondering. I know you need settle in, but in a couple of weeks or so I was wondering if you'd be willing to tutor us and a few friends in extra defense practical lessons? It's something I mentioned to Harry over the summer, but we didn't know who our DADA teacher would be. Then it was Umbridge and we haven't been able to do anything extra besides Occlumency."

"Well that sounds good and I should be able to manage it. We'll just continue with the exercises we were doing at Grimmauld over the summer. Have you been keeping up with your running and such?"

"Yes. Not as intensive as during the summer due to classes. We run, well sort of, in the mornings. Since it's getting colder, we had to move indoors. The stairs offer a unique workout. And we have a room that provides gym equipment for strength training."

While they were talking, Tonks had joined them, listening to the upcoming plans and needing to make some of her own.

"Hey guys. Since you're scheduling, I wanted to confirm we're on for Occlumency tonight and Thursday. After this week, the schedule may become a bit more flexible depending on my assignments with the department."

"That sounds fine Tonks. Also, I know Susan's only joined us for a couple of sessions, but her aunt trained her before and I was wondering if you could test her tonight?"

"Sure, no problem."

With the plans decided, the four went their separate directions for the next hour until it was time for Occlumency that evening. With Harry's approval, Sirius sat in on the session and was impressed with everyone. When Tonks tested Susan, she passed handily and Harry was reassured. Later that night when they cuddled in the common room after almost everyone had gone to bed, he brought up the next stage for the coven.

"So Hermione, everyone has good shields, I think it's time that I tell the rest of the girls about the prophecy and horcruxes. That way they will have time to decide if they want to back out."

"Yes, I suppose you should. I don't think any of them will though. Still, they will need time to get over the shock. Can you wait until this weekend though? Sirius brought me that book he found in the Black library and I want to read it over. He's very curious what I am studying up on. Also, we should talk with the group about our last member. I am still leaning towards Tonks. Now that she won't be our professor, we won't have that conflict. Watching the way you two joked around tonight only made me more sure. I know she's almost seven years older, but she doesn't act it sometimes."

"Not that I act my age either. And yes, we can wait until this weekend. It's only a few more days."

Hermione smiled and then her lips met his as unpleasant thoughts were driven away and they finished the night with a good snog.

The rest of the week passed quickly as Harry kept busy between his OWL year school work and extracurricular activities. He and Hermione increased their stair runs in preparation for Sirius' training, and were joined by Luna and Ginny. The others each tried for one or two mornings, but were not ready to commit to the idea full time. He also had two Quidditch practices, but also managed alone time with most of his girlfriends, even if it was just for a quiet walk under the guise of elf disillusionment. DADA class was taught by Professor Tonks at the beginning of the week with Professor Black supervising and assisting. By the end of the week, they had switched roles. On Friday, Tonks announced that the switchover was going smooth enough that she would be returning to her regular job the following week. Hermione was tempted to talk to her before she left for the weekend, but decided to wait until the talk with the rest of the group on Saturday.

On Saturday morning after breakfast, Harry and the five witches made their way via several routes toward the seventh floor. Harry liked being outside, but the school was now in the firm grip of a cold and wet autumn. He and Hermione arrived at the room just as Luna and Ginny did and he specified their favorite living room setup. When they entered, everyone made their way to the comfortable couches set in front of the warm fireplace. Harry called Dobby, who brought a selection of drinks once everyone had arrived. Hermione was tucked into Harry's right side, while Luna claimed his left. Everyone could see how upset he was and Daphne squeezed in by Hermione while Ginny and Susan sat on the plush carpet directly in front of him. He was literally surrounded by his witches and Harry managed a bare grin as he appreciated their support. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to begin.

"Thanks for the support everyone. I told you we needed to talk and obviously you can tell this is serious. All of you agreed to take Occlumency and then be tested by Tonks. I told you it was due to information I couldn't tell you until your shields were strong enough. Each of you unbelievably accepted that and have worked hard with the studies. Now it's time for you to know the truth. Before I tell you this, I want each of you to know that I care for all of you. You know Hermione is my first love, but I feel we have all grown quite close. Still, I will understand if this information is too much once you hear it. If you want to leave, then that's your choice. I ask only that we all stay friends at least and that you don't reveal any of the group's secrets or plans. I'm not asking for oaths, I trust you all. What I have to tell you now I only found out a few months ago. After the disaster of the third task and Voldemort's return, I confronted Dumbledore and demanded answers. It's obvious that Voldemort has an unhealthy fascination on me. A couple of times in the past, Dumbledore claimed to have information for me to receive when I was older. Well, I was tired of that shite and I laid into him, demanding to know everything. He was hesitant because I had no Occlumency training, but finally agreed when I agreed to train in the subject over the summer. He also told me that I could tell Hermione, but she also needed to train. Here is what I finally found out…"

Over the next twenty minutes, Harry explained everything about the prophecy and horcruxes. With each revelation, the group of witches around him pressed in closer. Tissues were conjured when tears flowed and each person was hugged and supported by others. Even though Hermione already knew it all, it was still difficult to hear again. Then Harry reached the end and the worst bit of news about the likely horcrux in his head. That finally caused the stalwart Daphne to start crying as well. Once he finished, the entire group spent a few minutes not talking, just supporting and loving each other. Harry was ready for some of them to leave, but none did. As everyone gradually composed themselves, he looked around at each individually.

"Like I said, I'll understand if anyone wants…"

Daphne looked up fiercely and was the first to speak.

"No Harry, don't say it. I'm in this with you. I can't say I love you yet, but I care for you and you offer me more than I could hope for out of most pureblood relationships."

"Daph's right, I'm here as well."

After Luna, Ginny and Susan also echoed their words. No one was leaving. Now Harry choked up. What did he do to deserve all these wonderful witches? The ones on the floor stood to hug him and wanted to cuddle, but the sofa wasn't the most conducive, so the four on the sofa made their way to the floor as everyone sprawled in a pile on the plush rug. Hermione's thoughts went to the last time they were all arrayed on a rug like this and she had to bite back a moan at the memory. There was still more they needed to discuss and now it was her turn.

"Well Harry, like I suspected, no one left. Now you all understand why the Occlumency was needed. Tonight you each need to meditate and put up extra shields around this information. I reinforce mine a couple of times a week at least. I don't expect an attack here at school, but the practice is good. I'd like to now discuss where we go from here. Also, I have some new research from a book Sirius located in the Black library. The books that Dumbledore gave me helped some, but the Black library really is amazing."

Hermione's focus drifted a bit as she remembered long hours spent at Grimmauld in the library. A couple of the others smirked at her as she shook her head and regained her focus.

"Alright, so the six of us are in. I think seven would be the ideal number, allowing for a powerful coven. The next witch I want to approach may be a surprise, although Harry knows. I've tried to work others into our group instead, but no one else meshed well with us. The person I have in mind gets along with everyone and she and Harry have a connection, despite a bit of an age difference. I think our seventh member might be Nymphadora Tonks."

That news shocked all the witches except Ginny and Luna. The rest all looked at Hermione questioningly, but Luna was the first to speak.

"Actually, that's a good idea Hermione. Her personality will fit well. Anyway, if we all stay together, will it really matter when she's forty and Harry is thirty-three? I guess it's good she's no longer a professor."

Hermione nodded and looked around the group. As the information sunk in, she saw a gradual acceptance grow in each person. She gave the group a couple of minutes before bringing the conversation back around.

"So, I know what Luna thinks. What about the rest of you? I may be the one organizing and initiating, but we all need to be in agreement."

Daphne agreed, admitting that they just needed to get over the shock of it. Susan though had more concerns.

"I guess I can agree on the surface, but I need to look at this from a wider perspective. Tonks is an Auror, reporting to my aunt. Will this impact her job?"

"I thought about that and legally we are breaking no laws. It's more a tradition and taboo issue. I think we should leave the choice up to Tonks. And no one, including Amelia, will know more until after the ritual. Even then, I don't think the general public needs to know. At least not for a while. Susie, is this going to be a problem?"

Susan thought for a minute and slowly shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. I just have to think of what's most important and where to place my allegiance. I've looked up to and followed Aunt Amy's guidance for so long that this is a bit daunting, but the fact that we will be working to defeat Voldemort makes it worth it."

"That brings up something else I've thought about Hermione. Are we going to tell our families and if so, when? I know we're keeping our relationships a secret for now, but once my father finds out that I'm close to Harry, he'll want a consort contract between House Potter and House Greengrass. Allying with such a powerful house and allowing me to keep the family name alive is not something he will let slip by."

"This is something Harry and I have discussed a bit. We don't have anything firm yet since it's still early. There are three possibilities that could occur with the ritual. First, we are successful in using the horcrux in Harry to trace to the other horcruxes and destroy them via a feedback link. When we are done, we remain friendly, but no bond forms. Second, we do the same, but all of us form a coven bond with each of our magics, tying us for life. Third, we are completely unsuccessful in destroying any horcruxes and no bond forms. I think this is highly unlikely. The group of us are too powerful. The ritual is based largely off of power and the connection of the group. Already in a short time, we've started forming a strong connection. The actual forming of a coven bond is more unsure, but I truly believe that it will happen. That will mean that it won't matter what contracts any family puts in place for their daughters, the bond will supersede it."

"Ooh, that would not go over well with my father. He doesn't like not being allowed in on decisions."

"I understand, which would mean we may want to tell our families beforehand, but not much before. And we will have to be vague with details. We'll need to brainstorm exactly what to say so that they know enough, but not too much to put them at risk or cause them to pull us away."

"Well, it won't matter how much you say, my father won't let me be part of any potential serious relationship without a promise. I've had one casual boyfriend. When my father found out he kissed me, he was ready to start a contract."

Harry was laying back and letting the bright witches around him discuss this, but he understood more now about pureblood tradition and thought he needed to join the conversation.

"Daphne, we need to work out the details, but when we get close and know that we are moving forward, I will talk to your father. Hermione can give him minimal details, but I will see that a contract is in place before the ritual goes forward. That will offer you some protections as well. The same goes for the rest of you, except for Hermione. The talk with the Grangers will be entirely different."

Harry's proclamation had four witches pouncing on him with gratitude as Hermione watched and smirked as he kissed and fondled each as they came to him. Once they were done, she had more that needed to be discussed.

"Alright, so we have a tentative plan for what to do if it appears everything is moving forward like we planned. Now, I have some additional information that is a bit shocking and may also change your decisions. The book on sex rites that was in the Black library provided another piece of critical information that I haven't seen mentioned directly elsewhere, although it has been alluded to, even if I didn't fully understand. This magic is based on purity of emotion. The preparation of the ritual circle is very precise and involves several purification steps. Apparently this also means that we each need to have our bodies cleansed of foreign substances and impeding elements. That means no drugs or potions of any kind, as well as no charms. For example, you can't use the imperius to force someone into this ritual and expect it to work. It also means no contraception charms and no potions within one month of the ritual. Those of us currently having sex with Harry will need to stop our potions by the middle of November and rely on the charms, which will then need to be stopped twenty-four hours before the solstice."

"WHAT?"

Harry sat up in shock, causing Ginny to fall off to the side. Each of the witches were looking at Hermione just as shocked, except for Luna. As usual, she accepted the news and seemed to think it was obvious and didn't require any concern.

"So that means, any or all of us may get pregnant?"

"Yes Ginny. Although statistically, it is unlikely that our fertility will all line up together, so we would not all conceive. As shocking as this is, there is one positive to the rite. Any conception occurring during the rite will add significant power to it. There is also the likelihood that any child conceived during the rite will be more powerful than average."

"Well that's bloody wonderful, but still!"

"Ladies, I understand this is a lot, especially after everything I told you. I will still understand if you want to leave."

"No Harry. If the news about the horcruxes isn't making me leave, then a potential pregnancy won't either. With this possibility though, having contracts in place beforehand would definitely be needed."

"I agree with Daph. I'm still in, although I personally hope to avoid babies for a few years, but if it happens then we deal with it."

The others agreed with Susan and once again Harry was amazed by all of them.

"Wow, you all are amazing. I certainly want kids, but I had planned on waiting. Whatever happens, you should know that I am more than able to support a large family thanks to my inheritance."

A few muttered assents, although it wasn't really needed. They knew Harry's character. Hermione was still looking around the group though and it was obvious she wasn't done.

"Alright Hermione, what's next?"

"A couple of things. First, as far as the potential pregnancy issue goes, we can try to avoid it another way. We would need to start soon, but anyone who may be fertile during the solstice can take potions to adjust your cycles. You just need to make sure that the last potion is taken one month before so that it clears your system."

"Well that seems reasonable. Where do we get the potion? Madam Pomfrey?"

"I suppose she may have it, but she'll ask questions. It's actually fairly simple and I have the ingredients. Now that I know everyone plans on moving forward, we can start brewing it. We need to sit down with everyone's calendar and figure out who is at risk. That is something us witches can do without Harry though."

"There is something else as well. I know you all have read the details on the ritual. We will be using the horcrux in Harry as a focus to create a feedback loop to the other horcruxes, destroying each without actually needing to find them. Each horcrux is a piece of Voldemort and thus each is intrinsically tied together. There has been one problem that I've been worried about and that is what happens with the piece in Harry's head. I anticipate this may be painful for him and I know he's told me not to worry, but I can't help it. I found an additional rite that isn't exactly meant for this, but I think it will help. The blood of a virgin has powerful protection properties. It can create a shield and I think it will help Harry. There was a recorded instance once of using the mixed blood of two virgins for a powerful shield. Of course I can't offer this, but it would be good to know who is a virgin. We can then build the ritual in two stages. It will be complex, but I think it will be even more likely to succeed. You don't have to say anything now…"

"No worries Hermione. I don't mind. I'm a virgin. I've played with myself plenty, but I know I've never broken through my barrier."

Hermione nodded in thanks to Luna as two more of the group spoke up, Susan and then Daphne.

"You can count me in also Hermione. I've only had one boyfriend before and we never got very far."

"Well, my ice princess persona is well cultivated for a reason. I mean, you've seen what there is to offer in Slytherin."

"Wow, thanks. So we have three of you. That is a powerful number and I think will be a big help. We just have to be careful until then."

Harry was amazed as he looked at each of the three witches who had spoken up. He couldn't say he was in love with any of them yet, although he felt he was caring more for them. Yet, they were still willing to be part of this and give themselves first to him. He pulled each of them to himself in turn and kissed them each deeply as he whispered his thanks. He didn't feel like that was near enough, but it was what he had for now.

"So, I guess we are decided to move forward. I'll work on the potion for those who need to adjust their cycles. Harry, can you send a note with Hedwig for Tonks and see if she can come a bit earlier on Monday so we can talk? Once we get a bit further along, we can start to discuss the fine details of this two part ritual."

With everyone in agreement, the discussion stopped as the group all cuddled together for the last forty minutes before lunch. Although a number of kisses were traded, nothing more happened as each individual was lost in a myriad of thoughts.

o-o-o-o

 **A brief note that I have thought about myself and received a couple of comments on as well. I know that things appear to be going too well for our coven group. There is no angst and nothing seems to be going majorly wrong. First, I am not an angst writer. I just can't do it. I think I put that in my profile. I may border on it occasionally, but not really. There are some great angsty writers and I read them, but usually can only manage a one time read. I do know that I have to steer away from being too fluffy and I am working on that. With that said, this chapter was already over 9k words and had other worrisome topics in it, if not angst per se. I will try to add some bumps in the road in the future so that it doesn't get too sweet for some of you. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	14. Tonks

Chapter 14 – Tonks

Monday saw the group with their first DADA classes being led by Professor Black alone. The fourth years had him on Monday and then the fifth years on Tuesday to start the week. Despite it being an old joke, it was amazing how serious Sirius could be and he was quickly becoming quite a good professor.

Monday night saw Tonks arriving back at the castle after her own first day back on the job as an Auror, although she found herself stuck in the office with paperwork while she was briefed and caught up on ongoing cases. She wasn't sure why Hermione wanted her at the castle early, but she was more than happy to leave the Ministry precisely on time and oblige. She was waiting at the doors to the Great Hall when Hermione and Harry found her right after dinner and a full hour before their Occlumency lessons. Harry immediately led them to the seventh floor as Hermione quietly explained a bit about the Room of Requirement. Tonks was having a hard time believing her until she watched Harry pace and a door suddenly appeared in a blank stone wall. When she stepped in and saw what looked like a small, but average classroom, she wasn't overly impressed until Harry decided to do a bit of a demonstration.

"Tonks, we don't need much for our talk, so I didn't set the room up too much, but it can be whatever we want. Here is a room that we like for comfortable relaxing…"

As Harry briefly focused, the room changed and displayed their living room with couch, fireplace and plush rug a short distance away. Tonks was astonished, but Harry wasn't done.

"We can also use the room for training…"

Again, a brief moment of focus saw the room changing. Gone was the sitting area. In its place was a dueling ring with several training dummies nearby. Harry let Tonks look around for a bit before he focused back and the training area disappeared as he went to find a seat in the original configuration of the small classroom he had set for their talk. Hermione and Tonks joined him, with the Auror still in awe.

"Bloody hell, I wish I'd known about this room when I was in school…then again maybe it's better that I didn't."

Tonks smirked while Hermione shook her head and immediately began casting additional privacy charms, causing the Auror to settle down and realize the seriousness of this discussion. Once she felt they were sufficiently protected, Hermione began as she and Harry had agreed on.

"Alright Tonks, the room has built in privacy, but I don't know how it works with the headmaster and professors being tied to the wards. The additional charms should keep our discussion safe. We have a lot to tell you and most of it will be quite unbelievable. You will finally have the answer to why we needed Occlumency so badly. We wouldn't be telling you any of this unless we knew how strong your shields are. Harry is going to begin and then I'll add more later. First though, I have to ask for your oath that what is said here does not go beyond us. We trust you, but given your job, we have to ask. Eventually we expect that everything will come to light, but we need to protect our efforts at least until Voldemort is gone."

Tonks seemed surprised, but she trusted these two as much as she did anyone. Pulling her wand, she held it up and gave her magical oath. Harry thanked her, gave Hermione's hand a squeeze, and then began with a bit of refresher information about the events that happened at the end of the third task of the tournament. Being an Auror, Tonks knew most of this but found it interesting from Harry's perspective. After that he moved on to his discussion with Dumbledore and revealed the entire prophecy. This caused Tonks to let out a long breath and sit back while she tried to absorb the news. Then Harry continued with the information on the horcruxes, finishing as usual with the news about the one in his head. For the first time, Tonks looked unsure as she reached to brush aside a single tear as Harry finally finished and the room grew quiet. Hermione knew from experience that the silence was needed and decided to wait for Tonks to speak next. She only had to wait a minute or so before Tonks stood, paced a few times, and then collapsed back in her seat.

"Merlin's fucking balls! Sorry, but damn. That's all a bit much to take in. Although, it makes sense in a morbid way. I'm not familiar with horcruxes per se, but I have heard passing reference to there being a dark way to secure your soul. You've definitely answered why you need Occlumency. How many people know this?"

"Along with the three of us and Dumbledore, four others. That brings me to what I need to talk to you about. I'm sure you won't be surprised when you find out that we've been working on a solution."

"What Hermione means is that she's been researching like crazy using Dumbledore's books and the Black library for answers. I've provided some feedback, but I once again am yielding myself to her amazing mind."

Hermione looked at Harry and they traded a deep kiss before she shook herself to refocus on what they were doing.

"Harry is correct, I've been researching quite a lot. Others have helped, but I've had the most time. I believe I found an answer in some very old magic. It's not dark magic, but you could probably say it's grey. Some would think it's illegal, but it's not. It is frowned on and has been relegated to the history books. In looking for a solution to the horcruxes, I found myself looking first at the root of their magic. They are the darkest of magic, rooted in death and hate. To counter this, I then looked into magic focused on the opposite, life and love. It didn't take long for me to focus on sex based magic and rituals. That then led me to information on covens. I've learned that purebloods are raised to treat covens as dark and forbidden as well. Being muggleborn, I didn't have that bias. Still, I needed to understand why authors seemed to despise them so much. Looking into history and famous covens of the past, I found that they were often solely or primarily composed of witches. The covens yielded great power, marginalizing the power of wizards around them. After a couple of powerful covens grouped their political power together within the space of a century, wizards at the top of the government began to campaign against them. This continued through the years and has been successful given the attitude toward them. Everything I have researched though has not found any legal basis for prohibiting them."

Hermione paused as Tonks was now sitting with her mouth slightly agape. Pieces were starting to click into place. She thought she couldn't have been more shocked this evening, but now Hermione was proving her wrong. As Hermione continued, the shocks continued.

"So, finding this information, my focus is now on coven based magic. There is a ritual that I want to perform on the winter solstice to add to its magical power. Using the horcrux in Harry as a focus, I want to cause a feedback loop that will hopefully find and blast the rest of the horcruxes. That still leaves the issue of the one in Harry's head. If the others are destroyed and feedback to him, destroying the last, what does that mean for Harry? I then found a secondary ritual that we can combine to offer him protection. The ritual requires the blood of at least one virgin. No, not me, but there are others."

Hermione was cut short as Tonks stood and paced a bit, her hair cycling through a dozen colors as she did. Eventually she returned to the table. Unable to speak, she waved her hand to indicate for Hermione to continue.

"Over the summer, after I determined a coven was the most likely way to find and destroy the horcruxes, I began researching the specifics. The number in a coven has historically been between five and forty, although only one coven was at forty and no others have ever been more than thirteen. Powerful numbers are best, so four is avoided. There are potential long term effects to building a coven. Some have been only temporary, but others bond magically in such a way that the individuals are bound through life. It depends on the magic of the individuals, both power and compatibility. Given that, as well as the secrecy we need to maintain, I thought keeping the numbers down would be better. I decided on seven as the most powerful number. With Harry and myself, that would mean five more witches. Once I decided on this, I started to analyze the different witches we knew. I was looking for power, as well as those who get along well with Harry and myself. Harry has expressed his love for me, as well as his wish that I will be the future Lady Potter. With that role in my future, he is leaving much of the decision to me, although he has to agree in the end. You can probably now understand looking back on the summer that the different events were used to allow me a chance to watch Harry interact with other witches. We now have six in the coven and I think we are doing well together, although they are all careful not to be seen with Harry since the school only knows that the two of us are dating."

Hermione paused again and Harry took over. Tonks now was completely silent and still. Her hair had gone to a mousy brown as she seemed too stunned to change it anymore.

"So Tonks, you can guess where Hermione is going with this. I've yielded to her on the decisions, and she has been correct so far. I have no complaints."

Harry's smirk caused Hermione to chuckle. Then pleasant memories assaulted her and she suppressed a shiver. It was obvious now from Harry's blush that she needed to take over again.

"Tonks, after much contemplation, and watching you and Harry interact over the last couple of months, I think the two of you would be well matched. I also think you would fit well with the rest of our group. I know the first thing that will probably be a concern is age, but I feel that Harry is older than his physical age. His magic certainly is. I know this is a lot to understand, but please consider it. Also, you should know that during the ritual each individual will be with multiple others, not just Harry. You need to be open to this fact. A few of us already were and have found no issues. Oh, we also recently found out that we need to be purified and clean of outside charms and potions, meaning no contraception. A couple of us are going to adjust our cycles in an attempt mitigate that issue."

Everything that could be said now had been. The rest was up to Tonks. Instead of pacing, she rubbed her face and then closed her eyes to meditate for a couple of minutes. Hermione perched on Harry's lap and they traded a few kisses while they waited. When Tonks opened her eyes, Hermione returned to her seat as the older witch finally spoke.

"Alright, wow. I'm on overload here. For me that's saying something. I know how much time and effort has gone into your planning and I can understand that it likely will work. The method though is still a lot to understand. I may be halfblood, but my mum was a Black and raised me with a lot of pureblood training. I've heard of covens, but not much. What was alluded to though wasn't good. Honestly, I'd be more upset if anyone else had initiated this discussion. I have no doubt that the two of you are some of the most light aligned I have ever known. I appreciate being considered and I have to admit, I have an attraction to you Harry. It wasn't something I felt I could do anything about. As for being open minded with other witches, let's just say that as a metamorph, I've had my fair share of experience. I suppose I can guess now who the others are, given your study group. You certainly picked a powerful group. Daphne surprises me, but her family has always been careful to maintain neutrality. Susan concerns me though. Amelia is my boss and now I'm oath bound to keep this a secret. I took an oath as an Auror and this seems to strain that."

Hermione sighed and reached forward to put a hand on Tonks' arm.

"I understand your hesitation, but I don't think the oaths go against each other. As an Auror, you vowed to uphold the law and fight dark wizards. There is no law against covens and what we are doing could see the downfall of the greatest dark wizard in written history. As for Amelia, I'm sorry to put you in this position, but you swore your oath to the department, not to an individual. If it helps, Harry plans on making official offers to each family before the solstice if it appears that all is moving forward. We have no guarantees, but it is highly likely that the ritual will bind us all together. Harry has House Potter, as well as two extinct houses he can take title to. Some of the group also want to maintain their lines. Susan has already expressed her desire for a consort contract so that she can carry on the Bones name. I would think Amelia would be for that."

"Damn, I hope you are thinking about going into law Hermione. Each argument is hard to refute. I obviously can't and won't say anything to Amelia. For myself, I need some time to think. We're already past our usual meeting time, but I don't think I can focus after all this. I need to go home and think. Can you explain to the others please?"

"Sure Tonks, I understand. We know this is a lot and it's a big decision. Hermione has some reference material for you."

Hermione had created copies of her notes, with references to the source material on the history of covens. She gave a copy to Tonks and then they all stood to leave. Hermione gave Tonks a quick hug and then they went separate directions as Tonks appreciated the long walk out to Hogsmeade since it gave her time to think. As she passed through the gates and reached the village, she was on her way to the Three Broomsticks when she saw the last person she wanted to see right then. Her boss Amelia had an arm around Sirius and the two were heading into the pub. Well, that was an interesting development. Still, with what she knew Susan was involved in, she needed to get her shields strengthened before she faced her boss in the morning. With the Broomsticks no longer an option, she turned toward the Hog's Head instead. She wasn't fond of the grimy pub, but it offered the same firewhiskey that the Broomsticks did.

The next couple of days passed quickly at Hogwarts as the castle began to buzz for the next Hogsmeade weekend that was upcoming. Hermione received a concerned letter from her parents, who had taken a subscription of the Daily Prophet and weren't happy with the ongoing Death Eater attacks. So far it wasn't anything organized, mainly just soft muggle targets. To put the Grangers at ease, Hermione arranged to meet them at the Leaky for lunch and received permission from McGonagall to floo between the Broomsticks and the Leaky for that purpose. She was excited as she looked forward to seeing her parents for the first time in almost two months.

That week also saw the start of additional defensive training with Sirius. The evenings were flexible around their study groups and Quidditch practice, but they planned on managing two nights a week at a minimum. Harry and the girls all attended, as well as Ron, Neville and the Weasley twins. Harry was careful around all the girls, but he knew his godfather was starting to get suspicious about what may be going on.

Thursday saw a break in routine when Harry was once again summoned to the headmaster's office after his last class. This time he wasn't surprised to see Amelia waiting for him as well.

"Hello Madam Bones. It's a pleasure to see you, especially since I know you've been quite busy lately."

"It's good to see you as well Lord Potter. Yes, I know you prefer less formal address, but I am here on formal business. I have a summons for you for next Monday at ten in the morning. Dolores Umbridge is finally going to trial and your testimony is requested. I honestly had hoped to have this done before now, but her solicitor has been quite good with delays."

"I understand. I will attend of course. I would like to see an end to dealing with her."

"Excellent, I'll pass on word. Now, I must be going. Before I leave, on a personal note, please say hello to Susan for me. I understand she has joined your study groups."

Harry smiled and nodded at Amelia, who then made her way to the floo and was soon gone. Harry then turned and said goodbye to the headmaster before leaving to head for Quidditch practice.

After dinner that night, Harry and Hermione were on their way to the library before Occlumency with Tonks when they saw the Auror waiting by the stairs. They had decided to have Occlumency in the Room of Requirement, so they led Tonks there. It was obvious that she also had a lot on her mind and wanted to talk. After hiking to the seventh floor, the three settled into their living room after Tonks cast additional privacy charms. This further alerted Harry and Hermione that there was a discussion coming and they hoped it would be positive. Tonks as usual didn't waste time as soon as they were seated.

"Well, I've had a few days to think on your proposal and everything we discussed. As you guessed, my initial reserve was due to the age difference. I know the age of consent in Britain is fourteen, but we are looked at as a bit backward in that regard. The ICW has been pushing for several years to bring us in line with the rest of Europe at an age of consent of sixteen. Still, that's not looking likely anytime soon. I also had to think about any possible conflicts with my job. Again though, Hermione's reasoning is correct. I looked over your notes and did some additional research in the Ministry library. There is nothing about covens being illegal. I still feel that I am betraying Amelia a bit by not telling her of Susan's involvement, but that is a personal concern that I have decided to push aside. All of this leads to one other concern, more of a guilt issue…"

Tonks' voice trailed off and they could tell this next point truly had her worried. It was strange to see the usually upbeat young woman be so troubled. After a couple of moments to collect herself, Tonks continued.

"I know the age of consent allows for any of us to be together, but I still have some guilt regarding the younger, more innocent members. There is something you need to know, a side effect of my metamorph skills. Metamorphs are very rare. I am the only one I know of in Britain right now. When I was born, there was one other, a wizard well past his hundredth birthday. He passed though when I was four. Checking with the ICW, they know of two others on the continent. I don't know how many worldwide, maybe a couple of dozen. Due to our rarity, there isn't much documented about our skills. Also, each metamorph varies in their abilities. I know I am one of the most extreme with the most control. This also means other facets of my nature are more pronounced, namely sexuality. I have a very high sex drive. And that may be an understatement. Even as a child I was more curious than is normal. Once I started my period at thirteen, it only got worse. I lost my virginity two months later, five months before my fourteenth birthday. I had a few boyfriends, but none that really stuck. I've found it easier to not have formal, lasting relationships. This also means I've been with a number of women as well. I didn't say witches, because I've been with a dozen or so muggles, women and men. All told, I've had at least sixty to seventy lovers. Honestly, I can't say that I've kept a good count. It's hard in the Auror department, because getting involved with coworkers complicates the work relationship. I've been careful to put off any advances. Outside of the job though, I have a few very good friends who I seek out when I need companionship. So, obviously being in a group with six others won't bother me. What does bother me is that none of you are near as experienced and I don't want to ruin any of you. Still, I will admit an attraction to both of you, as well as some of the others. Combined with the ability to help defeat Voldemort, I am willing to give it a try. Maybe eventually within a coven I will be able to find what I need to keep myself satisfied."

When Tonks finished, they sat in silence for a moment as her confession settled in. Hermione was the first to speak up.

"Well, thank you for being straight with us Tonks. I honestly think you will be a great addition with everyone. So that you know, four of the seven of us are not virgins. Not as experienced as you, but we each have a fairly high drive. As for the other three, they are definitely ready, except that we have been very careful to keep them pure. We are going to use their virginal blood in one part of the ritual to aid in Harry's protection. I can tell you though that they aren't finding it easy to remain intact until the solstice. For now we have about nine weeks until the solstice. Let's work on building our relationships and see how things go."

"That sounds good Hermione. I will admit to being excited. So, when exactly do you all get time with each other?"

"Well, I try to spend time with each of my girlfriends separately at different points during the week. I have a house elf who helps to keep this a secret with disillusion charms, as well as porting us around the castle and grounds. We usually all study together at different times during the week. Then on the weekends, we spend at least one evening here in the room together. Those times usually end up quite…heated."

Tonks nodded and her eyes glazed just a bit as she thought about the group. Hermione smirked as she saw the desire that was evident.

"Tonks, we have a few minutes yet until everyone else arrives. Do you want to experiment a bit? Maybe a good snog?"

Tonks gave a bare nod and Harry got up and crossed to the chair where she was sitting. He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her as he leaned in to gently kiss her. The first touch of their lips was electric and only drove each of them further as the kiss quickly turned into more. Then Hermione stood to join them and Tonks turned to kiss her for a bit as well. It soon became quite evident that at least the physical aspect of their relationship would not be an issue. They continued for a few minutes when a voice separated the three of them. Turning, they saw Daphne smirking and Susan smiling at them. Then Ginny stepped in the room and lit up when she saw them.

"Well, it looks like our seventh has agreed!"

Hermione nodded and pulled away as she went to hug the others. Luna arrived as well and they all made their way to find seats. Tonks had taken a minute to collect herself and her hormones. If they'd gone much further with the snogging, she wouldn't have been able to restrain herself. Now she needed to refocus so that they could work on Occlumency. Then Harry spoke up, giving her a few more minutes to recover.

"Hello lovelies, before we start Occlumency, I think we should tell Tonks what we know about Tom Riddle's background. Especially since Luna is working on the article for the Quibbler. Susan was going to tell her aunt about the article, but maybe Tonks could deliver a rough draft instead? Just an idea."

That got Tonks' attention and began to reorient her from the carnal as the other witches looked at each other and Susan nodded.

"That's fine with me. I think Aunt Amy needs the advance warning. It don't care how she gets it. How is the article coming Luna?"

"It's almost done. Daddy is going to start printing next week and it will go out the week after. "

"Alright, what is this article and why is it so important?"

Hermione sighed and began to recast privacy charms as everyone took seats. Luna pushed Harry into a seat and put Tonks in his lap before placing herself to one side. The next twenty minutes was spent with Harry giving Tonks the unabridged history of Tom Marvolo Riddle. As he finished, Tonks leaned into him and let out a long sigh.

"Well, Amelia will definitely appreciate the advance notice about that. The article will shake things up for sure. I think I will see about posting an extra Auror detail at your dad's place as well Luna. To think, Voldemort is a half blood. He won't like that getting in print."

"Thanks Tonks. I'm also purchasing a Gringotts emergency portkey for Xeno. No arguments please Luna. You're important to me and your dad is all you have. You know I have more money than I know what to do with."

Luna leaned over and gave Harry a tender kiss as she squeezed in tighter to his side. Her dad knew the risks and really didn't care, but she did appreciate it.

"So Tonks, you know everything we've been working on, what can you tell us from the DMLE?"

"Well I can't give details, but I can tell you that a number of the pureblood families have been put under heavy surveillance. I've heard whispers that we may have an idea of where his base is, but it's heavily guarded and warded. Amelia has her hands full with the Minister trying to constantly tell the DMLE what to do and claims she is wasting time on Voldemort. If the attacks continue though, he's not going to last much longer. The whispers in the Ministry are that the muggle officials are very unhappy for obvious reasons."

"Well here's hoping someone boots him soon. Anyway, Aunt Amy is doing what she can. In the meantime I guess we keep on our path."

Everyone agreed and Luna was excited to finish writing her article and get it published. Their discussion time had given Tonks a chance to recover and they turned their attention to Occlumency as everyone sat in a circle on the plush rug and began meditating. The clock struck the hour sooner than they had planned due to the earlier conversation, but everyone felt they were doing well with their shields. They still had an hour until curfew and Tonks didn't have to leave immediately, so Hermione called Dobby, who provided cold drinks. The next forty minutes or so were spent cuddling as a group and talking. Tonks did the most talking as she explained to the whole group more about her abilities and the side effects. She also touched a bit on her childhood growing up unusually talented. It was a good chance for the group to get to know her better. She also accepted to come visit on Saturday evening unless she received an unplanned assignment. Thankfully, her regular tutoring visits and being a former professor allowed her to have access to the castle. As usual, everyone began to exit different directions at a quarter to the curfew hour. It had been a busy day and everyone had a lot to think on.

The next day was Friday and Harry was happily flying through a new sequence of maneuvers just as the sun was setting, glad to have classes done for the week. The weather was getting chilly, but after a good hour of Quidditch practice he had warmed up plenty and was feeling quite comfortable with the new, tricky swing around the opposing goalposts. He was just leveling off during his latest pass when he saw Hermione frantically signaling him from the stands. The look on her face said everything and he didn't even bother to tell Katie what he was doing as he made a hard right and headed for his girlfriend. He leveled off right in front of Hermione, who for once didn't chastise him for a crazy maneuver. Instead, she did something that caused his jaw to drop as she swung herself up onto the broom in front of him and looked over her shoulder as she explained.

"Daphne's been attacked. Not serious, but still needing treatment by Madam Pomfrey. She's already been released. We need to go to the Room."

Harry felt his stomach cycle through a range of emotions as he grasped Hermione and then turned to wave at Ginny, who was flying with the reserve squad. She had seen Hermione wave him over and had followed at a more sedate pace. Now she flew after him without question, leaving Katie missing two flyers with no excuses rendered. With Ginny doing her best to keep up, Harry flew for the Astronomy tower and then flew straight down the stairs to the seventh floor. The only person they crossed paths with was Filch, who was sweeping leaves off the stairs and yelled something about crazy Gryffindors. It was obvious though that he had only seen a blur of color and hadn't a clue who they actually were. Harry pulled up directly outside the Room and hopped off. He then helped Hermione off just as Ginny was arriving. Hermione was shaking as she turned to look at her boyfriend.

"Har...Harry...James...nev...never...let...let's just go see Daphne. You owe me for that ride!"

The three Gryffindors stepped into the room, which was configured as their usual living room. When they entered, they were happy to see Daphne reclined on a couch with an ice pack on her head and her arm bandaged. Susan, Luna, and surprisingly Tracey were sitting in nearby chairs while Dobby served drinks to all the witches. Harry let go of Hermione and ran for Daphne, pulling up short and dropping to his knees at the side of the couch as he gingerly leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

"Daph, what happened? Who did this? I'll run them through!"

"It was Malfoy and the goons. Who else? They thought I'd been seeing someone from another house, but haven't been able to figure out who. They tried following me, but I turned on them and didn't realize Crabbe was hiding in an alcove. I can take them magically, but when that ape hit me on the head from behind, I didn't stand much chance. Goyle wrenched my arm and Malfoy was spouting off insults and hitting me with small incendio curses while he threatened me and tried to make me talk. Then the Bloody Baron floated through a wall and saved me. I swear Goyle must not have taken a piss all day with as much as he let loose. Anyway, the Baron scared them and raised a fuss with all the ghosts. Snape showed up and took me to the hospital wing. Tracey was the one who knew to go for Susan and Luna since she couldn't find the rest of my 'study group'. As for hurting the buffoons, I'm afraid you'll have to get in line. Susan called her aunt, who also insisted that my father be notified. The headmaster wanted to keep it as a school disciplinary issue. Father wasn't happy with that. He's probably still ripping into Dumbledore still. I think Tonks was one of the Aurors called to question witnesses too."

"Yes, and I know she wasn't being too gentle. She 'tripped' when she was escorting Goyle. Afraid his head smacked a wall. Terrible shame."

Harry turned as Tracey was speaking and realized for the first time that they had another issue. Tracey saw his look and sighed.

"Look Potter, I figured out something was going on with you and Daphne a while ago. I don't know how the other witches all fit in, but she seems happy and you're a decent sort. Better than the lot in our house. Daphne and I've been friends since we were babies and I just want her happy. As long as she is, I'll keep my mouth shut. And, no, Daphne didn't tell me. She didn't have to. We've been friends for nearly fifteen years and we share a dorm. Your elf may be talented, but I'm Slytherin, I notice things."

"Um, thanks Tracey. I do care about Daphne. We all do. Thank you for understanding."

Hermione took a seat on the rug by Daphne and took her uninjured hand.

"So what now? What did Madam Pomfrey say?"

"The salve has to stay on tonight. Tracey told her she would watch me. I have a potion to take before bed and my head will be fine. I guess we see what happens at dinner and if Malfoy gets punished."

Harry looked around at all the witches. He didn't like the idea of sending Daphne back to the dorm she shared with Tracey. He knew the Slytherin dorms were two person and was glad that Pansy and Millicent didn't share with them, but still. She seemed determined to return though.

"Fine, I'm not comfortable with it, but I know you need to make this choice. On one condition, Dobby is on call. One whisper of anything wrong and you call him. That goes for you Daphne, Tracey, or for your sister Astoria. Alright?"

Daphne agreed and Harry called the elf, who was formally introduced to Tracey. He was happy to agree to be security for Daphne, especially against his former bad master. With that agreed, Harry gave Daphne one more kiss and then left her to rest while he went to clean up from practice. Tracey and Hermione stayed and studied while they watched over her before dinner.

That night at dinner, the plates did not fill immediately as they normally would. Hungry students complained at first, but then Headmaster Dumbledore stood and the Great Hall grew quiet as he addressed the students.

"Good evening students. Before we partake of another fine meal, I have sober news. Earlier today, three members of Slytherin house accosted one of their own in a manner most vile. While I used to find it best to handle these matters within the school, this was taken out of my hands and the matter was handed over to the DMLE. The criminal investigation against Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle is still ongoing. Pursuant to the school charter, since all three are under house arrest while the investigation is pursued, they are currently suspended until their house arrest is complete. As for school punishment, I will also be fining each of them fifty points for their most heinous actions. Any additional punishment will have to be decided once the DMLE completes their investigation. With that being said, I wish to express my severe disappointment and wish to ensure that any further despicable actions such as these by Slytherin or any other house toward any students, either of their own house or from other houses, will be met with similar legal regard. I will admit to being initially hesitant to calling the DMLE earlier today, but after several meetings throughout the day it was impressed on me the importance of bringing the full weight of the law into such matters as these. Now, I hope we do not have to revisit this matter ever again."

With that, Dumbledore sat and the food simultaneously filled the tables as dinner began. The start of the meal was quieter than usual, but eventually conversations did begin to resume. As Harry ate, his eyes locked on Daphne and Tracey at the Slytherin table and he was glad to see that Daphne was eating well, if a bit slowly.

When Saturday arrived everyone fled the castle to make their way to Hogsmeade. As planned, Harry and Hermione did a bit of shopping and then caught the floo from the Broomsticks to the Leaky around eleven. They stepped outside the London pub just long enough to meet up with the Grangers. Then Hermione linked her hands with her parents so that they could enter the magical pub. Thankfully, with it not yet noon, the crowds were less and Harry was able to arrange a private table in a back corner of the pub. On his request, Tom the bartender also cast privacy wards and left them alone to talk. Hermione and her parents chatted a bit with general conversation about extended family, the dental practice, and news from the neighborhood. Harry was content to interject small comments and just cuddle into Hermione's side. Soon though Jean Granger brought the conversation around to other concerns.

"So dear, how is your schoolwork going? I am concerned though about what we've been reading in the news. It's interesting to see a news report on the telly about some terrorist attack and then read the Prophet the next morning and find out that it was actually Death Eaters. The attacks seem to be getting worse. Do you know what is being done about it? Are you really safe at school? We have these portkey necklaces that you arranged for us. Shouldn't you have something similar?"

"Yes mum, school is fine. OWL year is busy with lots of work, but I expected that. As for the attacks, we know a bit from Susan. She's a friend in our year, Hufflepuff house. Her aunt Amelia is head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The department is busy trying to track down the Death Eaters, but they're mostly from old families with multiple heavily warded properties. Also, the Minister of Magic is still denying the larger issue. He claims the Death Eaters are acting alone and won't admit that Voldemort is back. With the attacks getting worse though, the pressure on him is almost to a breaking point. As for us, we're as safe at Hogwarts as anywhere. The castle has over 800 years of magical wards woven into it. Portkeys won't even work on the grounds."

Next it was Neil's turn to join the conversation.

"It sounds like your law enforcement has their hands full, what with the Minister in denial. What about the non-magical government? I have to think the two governments talk to each other. Maybe if they worked together?"

"That's great in theory dad, but I don't think it would happen. Definitely not with Minister Fudge in office. He would never acknowledge that muggles have anything to offer. I have thought that the DMLE could use some non-magical surveillance tools if nothing else. There is the possibility that Fudge may face a no confidence vote soon. If he does and the right person replaces him, maybe they will approach the Prime Minister for help."

"That makes me think of something else. You know I was in the service before university. Do guns and non-magical weapons work on wizards and witches?"

"Yes dad. Although shields might block some. But even if a shield blocked the first bullet, I doubt it would stop the following bullets. It would be something to test I guess. I'm not sure about building wards. I imagine with enough firepower even strong wards could be taken down."

"Well, maybe your law enforcement could locate the base of these people and then have the non-magical government bomb it."

"And that would take some explaining with both magical and muggle news media. Still, I guess it's something to think about. I'll mention it to Susan and see if Amelia has considered it. Susan probably will need me to explain some. I really wish our muggle studies wasn't a hundred years out of date. Something else to question Dumbledore about. Anyway, what can be done is being done by law enforcement at the moment. Harry, some other friends, and myself are continuing our training. I know you don't like to think about us fighting, but Harry has been a target in the past and you know I'm sticking by his side."

Jean nodded and fiddled with her glass. She hated the idea of her daughter and the young man by her side having to prepare for war, but she knew that she had little say when it came to the magical world.

"Please just be careful dear. And don't worry about us. So far everything at home has been boringly normal. We keep our necklaces on at all times though just in case."

Hermione was grateful for that reassurance and the conversation switched back to more mundane topics. Soon lunch was served and they enjoyed the rest of their time together before saying goodbye to the Grangers and taking the floo back to the Broomsticks. They still had a couple of hours to explore Hogsmeade and went to join their friends before heading back to the castle in the late afternoon.

For dinner that night, Harry and all the girls gathered at the Room of Requirement. Tonks joined them as well and Dobby happily served them a delicious, traditional British meal. The conversation was lively and Hermione brought up the topic of non-magical weapons that had been discussed with her parents earlier. As an Auror, Tonks thought the ideas were intriguing, but she also knew that Minister Fudge was not on great terms with the Prime Minister. The conversation flowed easily and Harry was happy sitting with Hermione on one side and Tonks on the other. Although Tonks was their newest addition, everyone knew her and she meshed easily with the group. Hermione was pleased with how well everyone was getting on and knew that Tonks had been the right choice. When she had tried to second guess herself and fit some others into the group, it never worked like this did. Of course, one key topic of conversation was the attack on Daphne and the three Slytherins that were under house arrest.

"So Tonks, can you tell us anything more about the charges against Malfoy and his goons?"

"Well, Lucius is raising a stink of course, not that that's news. Of course, Martin Greengrass is none to happy either. That's the main thing going against Draco. He attacked a true pureblood. Lucius isn't happy with his boy, although he can't show that. The charges being looked at are prime assault for Crabbe and Malfoy and secondary assault for Goyle. The blow to the head was bad, which gets Crabbe the charge and Malfoy led the attack. Goyle just followed orders and held Daphne, wrenching her arm. That's secondary. They're all underage, if barely. Prime assault first conviction underage gets a maximum of two years in Azkaban and a 1,000 galleon fine, but that's maximum and the judiciary committee of the Wizengamot can decide on less. The secondary has a maximum of six months in Azkaban. I know, it doesn't seem like much. The prime assault will carry a lifetime record. For most people, that's a bad thing though and impacts their career. Of course, Malfoy isn't most people."

"So, how long for the judiciary committee? Why doesn't it go to a Wizengamot trial?"

"Depends on the charges, and also because their underage. It's highly unusual for anyone underage to sit before the Wizengamot."

Harry dropped his head to the table and Ginny and Luna both embraced him, knowing what he was thinking. Meanwhile, Tonks continued.

"Anyway, Lucius is an obnoxious prick and I know a few people would prefer to have him out of the way. I don't think the committee will take long to clear their paperwork and hear Draco's case. And they hear all three at the same time. Lucius has hired an expensive snob of a solicitor to help Draco out of this bind."

"Well, the longer he's on house arrest and out of school, the better."

Harry nodded in agreement as he finished the last of his wine. Everyone else was done as well and praised Dobby for the excellent meal. They all then stood and the room did away with the dining setup and replaced it with their usual living room. This time when Harry sat, he found himself between his two gingers, Susan and Ginny. While everyone kept talking, Daphne brought up the idea of a game.

"So everyone, what do you say to a round of 'I've Never…'? Except that instead of drinking shots we have to remove an item of clothing if we've done something. I think we'll learn more about each other."

A couple of people needed the game explained, but soon agreed on the idea. It wasn't like they all hadn't been naked together to varying degrees, except Tonks. After a bit of discussion, it was decided that Harry should start and then they would go around clockwise. Harry took a moment to think of something he had never done and then gave a feral grin when inspiration struck.

"I have never been intimate with someone of the same gender."

A couple of groans and playful shouts of 'unfair' were heard over Harry's laugh as each of the women began removing items of clothing. Most already had shoes off, but some opted for socks. Tonks was the first to lose her shirt and Harry ogled her. Seeing his look, she expanded her bust until her bra was about to pop off. A few made comments, but others just looked at her hungrily. Next it was Ginny's turn as she took a moment to ponder.

"I have never been drunk."

This time only two people disrobed further, Tonks and Hermione. Everyone was surprised about Hermione and demanded an explanation.

"Sorry guys, it's nothing salacious. My parents let me drink wine at dinner parties. I was the youngest one at a dinner party and I got bored. I was doing the table cleanup and drank everyone's leftovers, as well as finished half an empty bottle. It was the summer after my first year. I found out that I'm a loud and happy drunk. I embarrassed my parents a bit, but they decided the hangover the next morning was enough punishment."

That brought laughs as the game moved on to Luna. This time she took a different tact as she decided to state something false.

"I have never danced naked under the full moon."

Since Luna had done this, she lost her shirt. Then Daphne joined her, causing more rowdy comments from the group. The game continued on for another twenty minutes, getting more suggestive as they went along. When Dobby popped in to refill drinks, he gave a quick 'eep' at the mostly undressed group and finished his duties quickly before leaving again. Harry found himself as one of the first to be completely undressed. While he didn't mind, it did make dealing with his arousal difficult. The game kept going though and Ginny began to rub him off as everyone continued. Tonks was watching and finding herself heated, carefully controlling her skin tone. Then Daphne reached over and casually fondled her without really thinking. When the Slytherin realized what she had done, she was quick to pull back.

"Um, sorry Tonks. Not think…"

Anything further Daphne was going to say was halted as Tonks kissed her hard. Both witches were beyond randy and began to fondle each other more. Luna watched with her mouth hanging open until Hermione distracted her. Then Ginny got off Harry's lap and kneeled between his legs as she started to blow him. He then turned sideways and started to snog Susan as all thoughts of continuing the game were lost.

What started with snogging on the couches soon became more as everyone gave in and collapsed onto the thick rug. Harry had stopped Ginny before he blew, then he turned her around and slapped her bum before driving himself into her hard. He didn't last long, especially when Hermione laid underneath and began to lick his balls as they shook while he pounded Ginny. Meanwhile, Tonks had brought Daphne to her first orgasm and Daphne switched her focus to Hermione as she dove between her legs. When Hermione screamed her climax and sucked harder on Harry's balls, he came powerfully and filled Ginny to overflowing. He had collapsed to the side and was still catching his breath when he felt something amazing as his entire cock was swallowed whole. Looking down, he saw pink hair bobbing on his shaft. Then Tonks did something with her throat and squeezed him. Harry threw his head back with praise for metamorph skills. When Tonks pulled back, Hermione mounted him and began to ride him with rolling motions. This time Harry held out longer and Hermione came quickly, allowing Tonks to take her place. As Tonks was ready to sink down onto Harry, she kissed him deeply and had just a moment to wonder if this was too quick.

"Ha…Harry, is this alright? I mean…with me. I'm the newest…"

Harry silenced her with his mouth. Then he flipped her over and was in her before she knew what had happened. She hadn't had sex in a week and then it was only a quickie with a friend, so she was more than ready. While she had her own unique skills, she happily discovered that Harry was quite deft with his impressive manhood. He had her screaming for a full three minutes before he came for his second time of the night.

Over the next two hours, the group continued in various configurations. Harry lost track after his fourth eruption. He hadn't realized he could go so long, but Luna whispered something about 'magic'. That definitely seemed to be true, as the group generated an almost palpable magic field around the room. At times different items were thrown across the room when someone's magic exploded upon their release. Harry had never felt anything like this before. He had made love to multiple witches in the past, but each time he had gradually felt his energy flag and at most had only come three times. Now as the night continued, he felt energized as he took advantage of each new fleshly delight offered to him. It wasn't until hours later that different members of the group gradually began to slow down and lay in happy exhaustion. By the time the entire group was done, a tempus charm revealed it was a bit past two in the morning. Everyone was sweaty and hungry as Harry called for his elf. Dobby arrived with eyes closed, left briefly, and then returned a few minutes later with a platter of sandwiches, slices of cake, and a bucket of cold butterbeers. All were delivered with his eyes closed. Harry grinned and stopped Dobby before he popped out again.

"Thanks for the food Dobby. I don't think we'll be back in the dorms for a while. Can you cover for us?"

"Tis already done Lord Harry. All witches except for Nymphadora Tonks have their beds charmed and curtains closed."

Tonks wasn't happy with the use of her full name, but she was too tired to argue. She hadn't been this satisfied after a night of sex in years and felt that maybe she had finally found her place, where she would be appreciated, as well as have her unique needs handled. When Dobby popped out, everyone sat up and began to pass around food. Despite all sitting in the nude with the smell of sex heavy in the air, no one was ready for any more. Once appetites were managed, Harry compelled the room to provide them with a bathroom. In actuality, what it provided was a door to the prefects' bath. Given the hour, the room was empty and the entire group was soon luxuriating in piles of bubbles in the swimming pool sized bath.

Once everyone was clean, they returned to the room and Harry found himself barely able to stand. After the workout of the night and the relaxing bath, all he wanted to do was sleep. With those thoughts, the room cleared itself of the living room configuration and instead offered the biggest bed that any of them had ever seen. They all quickly climbed in and only traded a few chaste kisses before they were a pile of sleeping, exhausted flesh.


	15. The Trial of Umbridge

**Here's a shorter chapter, but it comes with good news. I am done proof reading the entire story. There will be 27 chapters and it will be a couple hundred words shy of 200k total by the end. From this point forward I will be parsing the chapters out every three days or so. Sorry this is short, but I divide logically like I've said before. Thanks once again for all the great feeback on this story!**

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Chapter 15 – The Trial of Umbridge

The following morning saw the group waking around nine when Dobby rang chimes and then announced that breakfast would be arriving in ten minutes. Harry was still a bit tired, but not as bad as he had expected. He gradually woke and leaned to kiss each of his lovelies. He didn't know how he had gotten so lucky, but once again he thought that fate was definitely trying to make up with him.

As each of the group gradually rose, they found an open wardrobe nearby with all their clothes from the previous day hanging in it, cleaned and pressed. After visits to the loo, everyone dressed and was ready when Dobby returned with a large breakfast. They were all glad it was Sunday as they took time to enjoy the food. Eventually though they knew that it was time to face the rest of the school. Tonks decided to go first and kissed each of them before accepting Dobby's small hand. The elf popped her out to the Hogwarts' gates at the edge of the wards. She left quickly before anyone could realize that she had spent the night in the castle.

With Tonks gone, each of the others were delivered to their curtained beds by the elf. It was half past ten and the dorms were clear, so each person was able to appear and act simply as if they had overslept. Harry had Quidditch practice, but the others all gathered in the library, pretending that they hadn't all just separated a short while before.

As the weekend drew to a close, everyone prepared for the new week. Along with finishing homework assignments, Harry worked with Hermione and Luna to prepare for Umbridge's trial on Monday. The trial was due to start at ten. Dumbledore was presiding as Chief Warlock and was accompanying Harry to the Ministry. The time would allow him to attend the first forty minutes of Charms class before leaving. If the trial didn't take too long, he hopefully wouldn't miss much class.

Monday morning dawned drizzly and cold, not uncommon for Scotland in late October. Harry felt nervous about his upcoming testimony, despite having reviewed it with Hermione. He knew that his part was actually expected to be brief. Madam Bones had forewarned him that there were additional charges that came from the investigation that started after the use of the blood quill. She hinted that the trial could lead to some monumental news, but wouldn't give him more details. So, despite his own role being small, he couldn't help the fluttering in his stomach. He dressed in his best House Potter robes and then went down to the common room. Hermione was waiting for him there and could tell he was nervous, so she pulled him into a side alcove and proceeded to snog him breathless for a couple of minutes. Her efforts produced the desired effect, quieting his nerves and leaving him grinning.

The morning passed quickly and Harry finished most of his Charms exercise by the time he needed to leave the class. Professor Flitwick wished him luck as he left and headed to the headmaster's office. Once there, he found Dumbledore waiting, wearing his Chief Warlock robes. A quick floo trip found them in the Ministry atrium. With Dumbledore leading, they bypassed security and space was made for them on a lift. A number of people greeted the Chief Warlock as they made their way smoothly through the Ministry and into the Wizengamot chambers, arriving at ten minutes until the hour.

Upon arrival, Harry was directed toward a seating area for witnesses, while Dumbledore went to mingle and talk to others. Then Harry saw Madam Longbottom and went to talk to her for a couple of minutes. She assured him that she would vote her proxies based on the evidence, despite Harry being a witness. Harry had no doubt about the elder witch's integrity and their conversation shifted briefly to discussion about their new DADA professor. At two minutes until the hour, a bell rang to call the room to order and everyone scrambled to their seats. At the stroke of ten, Dumbledore started the proceedings.

"Welcome members of the Wizengamot, proxy voters, reporters, witnesses, and guests. We are gathered here today, October the 23rd, nineteen hundred and ninety five, for a trial of various charges against Madam Dolores Jane Umbridge. Aurors, please bring in the accused."

An Auror stationed by a side door to the chamber opened it and two more Aurors stepped in flanking Umbridge, who was dressed in a usual pink confection. Harry was surprised to see that she wasn't in some sort of prison uniform and that she appeared unrestrained. She actually appeared barely concerned with the proceedings, as if this was just another Wizengamot meeting she was attending. Umbridge then stepped to the side and followed her solicitor to an assigned seat. As Harry looked closer, he noticed a small tic in her jaw and the straining of the muscles around her eyes that betrayed how stressed she actually was. They were small signs that someone who had lived with the volatile Dursleys for years had learned to read. His observations were soon cut short as Dumbledore began speaking again.

"Now that the accused has joined us, let us hear the charges being brought forth. Director Amelia Bones will read the charges on behalf of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Director Bones stood and addressed the assembly briefly before referring to a piece of parchment and reading aloud.

"The charges against Madam Dolores Jane Umbridge are as follows: illegal possession of five blood quills, a restricted dark artifact; assault upon the person of Lord Harry James Potter with one of those blood quills; assault upon Auror Eugene Williamson when Auror Williamson attempted to arrest her; illegal eavesdropping using restricted rune stones within the Minster of Magic's main office, as well as two outer offices, and within two minor offices of the Ministry; illegal possession of a dementor control rod. The total charges are in number, eleven. Due to the serious and numerous nature of the charges, the DMLE requests veritaserum questioning."

Amelia returned to her seat as Dumbledore gave her a bare nod and brought the buzzing room back to order.

"Thank you Director Bones. May the chambers please note that all evidence of the investigations have been entered into the custody of the court scribe this day. In regards to the veritaserum request, Mister Harling do you have a response on behalf of your client?"

The small grey haired solicitor stood next to Umbridge and looked around the chambers as he began to speak.

"Thank you Chief Warlock. We wish to petition against the use of veritaserum. Madam Umbridge is a respected, high ranking member of the Ministry. As such, she is privy to information that is secret and cannot be divulged in open court."

Solicitor Harling sat and a middle aged wizard who was sitting to Director Bones' left stood to speak as the Ministry's solicitor.

"Members of the Wizengamot, we acknowledge Madam Umbridge's position and the delicate nature of some knowledge she may possess. We will remain mindful of that while she is under the effects of the serum and only pose those questions relative to this trial. If anyone has an objection to a question and could find due reason to deny it, we will allow the Chief Warlock to mediate."

The solicitor sat and Harry noticed that no one seemed to object to this solution. Even though he was new to the chambers, he had the feeling that this was the usual procedure. Dumbledore then spoke once both solicitors were seated.

"Thank you both. In accordance with our bylaws, let the body of the Wizengamot take a vote. The voting rune blocks are in front of you. Please signal yea or nay for use of serum in this trial."

Dumbledore paused and the room grew quiet for a minute. Once all the votes were entered, Dumbledore waved his wand and the voting numbers appeared in the air in front of him. By a comfortable margin, serum had been approved. Harry wanted to cheer, but restrained himself. When he looked at Umbridge, she was looking decidedly more pale.

"Thank you everyone for your vote. We will hear the witnesses first and then Madam Umbridge will be questioned following. Solicitor Jones, please call your first witness."

The Minstry's solicitor stood and called immediately for Harry. Since the charges he initiated were the beginning of the investigation into Madam Umbridge, he had been forewarned that he would be first. He stepped down to the floor and went to stand behind the lectern that was in place for witnesses. Solicitor Jones stepped forward and administered an oath to Harry, who swore on his magic to tell the whole truth. Then the questioning began.

"Lord Potter, can you please tell us when you first met Madam Umbridge and what transpired at that time to lead to a detention for yourself? Then can you please detail what happened during your detention."

Harry nodded and precisely began to detail his introduction to his new DADA professor. He explained about the argument over proper defense studies and her insistence that he was lying in regards to Voldemort's return. Harry made certain in his testimony to place emphasis on the fact that he had personally witnessed the Dark Lord's resurrection. This caused objections, boos, and hisses, but since this was the reason for his disagreement with Madam Umbridge and the cause for his detention, the objections were overruled. Then he told of his detention that night and being made to write lines with a blood quill. He explained that he knew it was wrong, but had to wait until Umbridge's attention slipped and he was able to escape with evidence in hand. Solicitor Jones then presented Madam Pomfrey's hospital records from that night, detailing her treatment of Harry and what she had found etched into his hand. Once Solicitor Jones was finished, Harry was faced with Solicitor Harling, who tried to tear down Harry's character and portray him as a rebellious teen who had problems with authority figures. Harry denied the accusations and rubbed his signet ring as he did, calling forth a bit of house magic. Rather than appearing the rebellious teen that Solicitor Harling wanted others to see him as, Harry remained cool and looked very much like a young, confident lord. With no further arguments, he was done with his testimony and was sent back to his seat.

Once Harry's testimony was complete, Director Bones was next, giving her official report of being called to Hogwarts in response to Lord Potter's charges of assault. With the evidence she was presented, she immediately sent Aurors to arrest Umbridge. Harry knew all of this, but what Director Bones testified next was new to him. In the ensuing investigation and search of both of Umbridge's Hogwarts and Ministry offices, more blood quills were found, as well as some unusual rune stones, and a dementor control rod. The rune stones were investigated and, when activated, immediately provided illegal eavesdropping in a number of Ministry offices. As for the control rod, only the warden of Azkaban, a couple of senior guards, and Director Bones herself were authorized to have possession of the rods. The devices allowed an individual to call forth one or more dementors and give them orders. Umbridge's possession of the control rod seemed to be the item that upset more people than anything else.

Director Bones was questioned by Solicitor Harling, but he wasn't able to chip away at her and she soon returned to her seat. Auror Williamson was next as he described his attempt to arrest Umbridge and her resulting tirade and subsequent casting of two stunners and a cutting curse at him. Thankfully, her aim was dismal and his only injury was a slice across one arm that was healed quickly. Solicitor Harling tried to claim he had used excessive force, but the fact that he was the only one injured and Umbridge was unharmed meant that argument was soon done away with.

When the Ministry's witnesses were done, Umbridge was brought forth for questioning. As the Aurors forcefully moved her to the front of the chambers, she screamed and fought them with a long list of threats, none of which helped her cause. Eventually she was restrained in a witnesses' chair and had to be stunned before veritaserum could be administered. When she was awakened, she tried to clamp her mouth and not reply to the questioning, but was unable to fight the serum. Soon she had confirmed all the charges against her and even insulted Harry, calling him a 'half blood brat not worthy of the Potter name'. This caused another round of boos that took Dumbledore several minutes to contain. Even those who didn't like Harry's politics wouldn't stand for the lord of a Most Ancient and Noble house to be slandered in such a way. As the majority of expected questions came to an end, Solicitor Jones had a couple of more unexpected questions.

"Madam Umbridge, you have now testified regarding your use and possession of illegal items. Were you acting alone in these matters, or were others within the Ministry aware of your actions?"

Solicitor Harling tried to object, but Dumbledore found no issue with the question as Umbridge answered.

"I was the one who took the initiative! Oh, Cornelius was fine with it, but didn't want to get his hands dirty as usual. Told me to humiliate the brat and discredit him, but didn't want to know everything that I had planned. I'm the one who did what was needed."

The room was buzzing again, but Solicitor Jones yelled over the noise, wanting to take advantage of this while he had the chance.

"So Minister Fudge was aware of your plans to punish Lord Potter with blood quills? Did he know about the runestones or control rod?"

"Yes, I told him about the quills. He was being spineless as usual, but finally agreed. Of course I didn't tell him about the others. I couldn't very well listen in if he knew I was doing it."

The solicitor shook his head and finished his questioning as Dumbledore took several minutes to bring the room under control. While he did, Amelia signaled two of her Aurors and they took their place, standing behind the Minister as he sat in stunned silence. Then Dumbledore ordered that the antidote to the serum be administered and Umbridge was shown back to her seat. Once she was back, he called for a vote. Per protocol, he allowed five minutes for the votes to be placed. They were actually completed quite a bit sooner, but he waited the full time before addressing the room again.

"Members of the Wizengamot, your votes are tallied. Dolores Jane Umbridge is found guilty of all charges. Per the advisory of the DMLE, the total prison time on all charges is a 63 years. Does anyone object to this sentence?"

At first the room was silent and the Chief Warlock was about to speak again. Then Dolores suddenly was moving much faster than Harry would have thought her capable of. She pushed her solicitor over and was then on top of the nearest Auror, grabbing his wand. Several Aurors started firing, but she was unfortunately in an area that was shielded by the overhanging of the ring of seats in the room. Although Harry couldn't see it, the Chief Warlock added an additional seal to the room. Meanwhile, the rest of the Aurors were closing their formations, although Amelia did signal for the three standing over Minister Fudge to remain where they were. Seeing that she was trapped, Dolores bolted out and began to fire everywhere. From where Harry was seated, she was directly below him and he had the unfortunate vantage point to see perfectly as she took aim at the closest Aurors to her position. One of the Aurors was Tonks, whose shield wasn't quick enough as a curse rebounded and clipped her, hitting her in the leg. Seeing her falter in pain as her hair switched colors, Harry's rage manifested and went up another level. Vaulting out of the viewing area where he was sitting, he found himself behind the hideous pink witch and did the only thing he could think of as he landed on her back. Not even thinking of drawing his wand, he drove his fist into her temple, with the force of his magic behind the blow. Dolores went down immediately, but Harry continued with a few more blows, until someone pulled him away. In total, Amelia would later tell him that the entire incident lasted no more than twenty seconds from the time that Dolores left the table to the time that she went down.

The Auror that pulled Lord Potter off Dolores was ready to stun him when he saw the look the young lord gave him. He thought Lord Potter might turn his fury elsewhere very soon. Then Auror Tonks hobbled over and took Harry's face in her hands as she got his attention. As their eyes met, something in Lord Potter seemed to calm and he let out a long breath. His focus shifted from a battle stare to only seeing the witch in front of him.

"Tonks! Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine in a bit Harry. I slipped a bit with the shields. She just clipped my leg. I don't know why they didn't have her in manacles."

"That was thanks to her solicitor. He got her ruled a low risk due to her standing as a Ministry official."

Harry and Tonks both turned at the sound of Amelia's voice. As they did, Tonks nearly fell over and winced at the pain in her leg. Harry noticed and proceeded to grab her, picking her up carefully and carrying her to a nearby chair. He then kneeled down to check her leg. His obvious care raised a few eyebrows in the room. When he saw the nasty cut, he looked behind him and saw a Healer entering the now unsealed chambers.

"Healer! Over here!"

"Lord Potter, the healer was called for Dolores."

"He can deal with that criminal in a minute! Tonks is more important!"

Harry's fierce look quelled the Chief Warlock's objection and the Healer bypassed the unconscious criminal he had been called to examine. The Healer examined Tonks and was able to heal her leg without much fuss, lastly applying a cream to finish the work. With Tonks better, Harry settled on a seat next to her and the Healer proceeded to Dolores. The rest of the Wizengamot returned to their seats to wait, with the Aurors still stationed around the room. After a few minutes, the Healer and his assistant bundled Dolores onto a stretcher before turning to the Chief Warlock.

"Chief Warlock, I understand that this woman is a convicted criminal. She will be remanded to Azkaban in a few days. First though, she has a skull fracture and three facial fractures that need to be addressed. I will need to take her to St. Mungo's for now."

"Understood. Madam Bones, please arrange security with Healer Haggis."

Amelia nodded and stepped to the floor as she called forward some Aurors. Details were arranged and then four Aurors went with the healers and Dolores when they portkeyed to St. Mungo's. When they left, Albus took over.

"Now then, back to the business of the day. Yes, Lord Ward, you wish to speak?"

"Chief Warlock, we witnessed an assault in these chambers today and I wish to know what actions will be taken regarding Lord Potter's assault on Dolores? She may have just been convicted, but he brutally attacked her!"

Harry bristled, but Tonks was still sitting with him and put a calming hand on his arm. Amelia stood across the chambers to address Lord Ward's concern.

"Lord Ward, as director of the DMLE, this is a matter that I would investigate. What I saw was Lord Potter assisting in the apprehension of a criminal who was attempting to flee Wizengamot chambers. I will admit that his force was perhaps a bit excessive. Once Dolores was taken down initially, the additional blows were not needed. Then again, this is a woman who used a blood quill on him. I personally can understand if his emotions were a bit out of control. Normally in a case such as this, we would consider a fine for first time offenses. Chief Warlock?"

"That sounds sufficient given the unique circumstances. Say 100 galleons? Shall we vote?"

The vote was taken quickly and passed near unanimously. Harry could have cared less. He would pay 200 galleons per hit if he could do it again. He looked at a few of the darker families and saw that they weren't completely happy. They probably would have liked to have thrown him in Azkaban for what he had done, but knew there was no way it would happen.

"Now then, with the interruptions we never completed the sentencing phase. Since Solicitor Harling has remained, I will deliver Dolores Umbridge's sentence to him as her solicitor. The total combined sentence on all charges is 63 years in Azkaban. This sentence will begin starting from the time she leaves St. Mungo's. Now, it has been a monumental day, does anyone else have anything to be addressed?"

Amelia stood and raised her wand in request.

"Yes Director Bones, what else did you wish to request of the Wizengamot?"

"As we have just heard under veritaserum questioning, Cornelius Fudge was aware of the planned use of illegal dark artifacts on Lord Potter. The evidence is sufficient that I will be arresting him and request an immediate vote of no confidence."

"What? You can't do that to me without a trial!"

Madam Longbottom stood and looked at the Minister fiercely.

"I second the request for a no confidence vote!"

Dumbledore didn't look happy, but knew that with the testimony that had been heard, as well as a seconded motion, he had to accept it for vote. He forced a bare nod as he addressed Augusta.

"Thank you Madam Longbottom. Members of the Wizengamot, please place your votes now in regards to a no confidence declaration against Minister Cornelius Fudge."

After the set amount of time, the votes were tallied and Fudge was no longer Minister. The margin wasn't as great as Amelia had hoped, but it was done. She signaled the two Aurors standing behind Cornelius to arrest him and he was led away as Dumbledore called the room to order once again.

"Per the rules of the Ministry, upon a vote of no confidence, the role of Minister of Magic falls to the Director of the DMLE for the period of one month. We will convene back here at that time to nominate and vote on candidates to take over the position of Minister of Magic. Now, does anyone have additional business for us today?"

When no one responded, the Chief Warlock closed the session and everyone was up and began to mingle and discuss the monumental happenings. Amelia immediately made her way over to where one of her young Aurors was sitting quite closely to the young Lord Potter. She knew that Tonks was his tutor, but now it seemed they were much closer than that and she wasn't sure she liked it. Then again, it wasn't really her place to say anything. Refocusing, she tried to ignore her unsettled thoughts and focus on what was her concern.

"Lord Potter, if you wish, you can come down to the department and take care of your fine now. Get the unpleasantness over with."

"That would be best. Thanks for helping me with that Director Bones. I know I lost it there. That woman took it too far. She hurt Tonks."

"Yes, I noticed the two of you were close."

Amelia raised an eyebrow at Tonks, who just gave her boss a smirk. Then she got up and led Harry out of Chambers and downstairs to the DMLE to take care of his fine. Once that was done, she led him back to the floos and he made his way back to school.

When Harry arrived, it was already past lunch so he went to the Gryffindor common room and called for Dobby. His elf happily brought him a late lunch that he ate in solitude while contemplating the events of the day. Once he knew that classes were finishing, he headed for the library to meet up with all the girls. Luna was already there when he arrived, but the others weren't far behind her. With Madam Pince watching them closely, they decided to move to a nearby empty classroom. Once there, Harry detailed everyone on the monumental happenings of the day.


	16. Preparations and Decisions

**Here's a posting about a day early due to the last chapter being so short. Also, I'm being brave and deciding to start a new venture. If you want to know a bit more about me, I've started a Zazzle shop. Some of my readers know that I'm a photographer and artist. It's an eclectic mix and I'm starting slow. The shop name is Flower_Power_Photo. Thanks again to you all.**

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Chapter 16 – Preparations and Decisions

While the ousting of Fudge was a wonderful side effect of Umbridge's trial, for the students of Hogwarts it didn't make an impact beyond a bit of discussion when the Daily Prophet arrived the following morning. With October drawing to a close, Harry and his girlfriends were focusing more on the upcoming ritual in seven and a half weeks. Hermione was still the primary researcher, but there was no lack of brains within the group and each person sifted through different aspects of the ritual to ensure that everything was prepared and ready.

One focus for Hermione and Susan as the lead potions brewers in the group were the two draughts that would shortly be needed. First, they spent an evening in the Room of Requirement brewing the potion that would alter each witch's monthly cycle if needed. After calculating menstruation and ovulation, four of the six needed different dosages to adjust for the solstice. Ginny was the only one of the group who would be menstruating at the time and she took a series of potions to move that up by seven days. If the calculations were all correct, she would be done with her period three days prior to the solstice and still have almost two weeks before she was at her most fertile. For Susan and Luna, they needed potions to adjust their cycles by a full two weeks and put them significantly past their fertile time on the solstice. Tonks was on the borderline, but assured Hermione that her metamorph skills also meant that she had control over her cycle, a skill that had apparently been quite useful during the height of her Auror training.

The second potion that would need brewing could wait a couple of weeks and would require a full two days brewing time. This potion was to cleanse any existing potions from the witches, including the standard six month contraception potion. The length of time needed for the brewing meant that Hermione would be returning to Myrtle's bathroom and leaving the cauldron simmering in a stall, much like she had done with the Polyjuice potion during their second year. This time though she had the added advantage of elf assistance. Dobby would cast elf charms to deter anyone from happening upon the potion. He would also be monitoring it when Hermione and Susan were busy in classes.

Wednesday that week saw Tonks returning for Occlumency lessons. With the ousting of Fudge, and Amelia temporarily in the Minister role, the DMLE was exceptionally busy and her schedule was constantly changing. Everyone understood and was happy to have her visit whenever she could manage. Unfortunately for Tonks, the time was limited to studying and she had to leave immediately after. She may have been incredibly horny, but she was left to help herself before bed rather than spending time with any of her partners. By the weekend at least she managed to get away on Sunday afternoon and the group was happy to spend a few hours strengthening their bonds.

The following Tuesday was Halloween, or Samhain to the traditionalists. While Ginny had posed the idea of a party in the room, Tonks was on a special duty. Daphne also pointed out that missing the big feast would draw attention to themselves. Slytherin remained aloof toward Daphne, but she knew that she didn't need to push her luck with Nott or a few of the older purebloods. Tracey had been supportive, but in the previous couple of days even she had been a bit more withdrawn, although she had claimed she just had a lot on her mind. Daphne hoped to talk to her more after the feast. With everyone agreed, they all attended the Halloween feast and ate at their assigned house tables. The evening was fun and Harry enjoyed joking around with the other Gryffindor guys, but he missed having all his girlfriends together. Daphne was concerned about Tracey since she had missed the last couple of classes of the day, but she was at the feast and she seemed much more engaged than she had for the past week.

That night as the two lifelong Slytherin friends readied themselves for bed, Tracey began casting heavy privacy and locking charms on their dorm room. Daphne raised on eyebrow, but kept brushing her hair as she looked at her friend, waiting for an explanation.

"Alright Daph, I know you've been wondering what's been going on with me. No more than what I've been wondering with you. I know-you can't say! Well, I've been under house oath for a few weeks. Father has approved for me to tell you now that everything is final. It will be in the Prophet next week anyway, but you deserve to know first. I'm betrothed."

Daphne let out a long breath and took a moment to absorb that and decide how to respond. She analyzed her friend's face. Tracey had a bit of a smile, so that was good. Betrothals weren't always good for pureblood witches. Often they weren't.

"Wow, alright Trace. So, you appear somewhat happy. I hope you are. Can you tell me more?"

"Yes, I am happy. My husband will be Stanislav Rostov. You remember him from last year. You know of course that he invited grandmother and I to visit him in Russia this summer. We had a lovely time. Honestly, I can't say I love him, but he is a good friend and I think the match is good. And his father's businesses work well with the Davis family businesses. Also, his family offers me protection I need. He offered to bring me to Russia at Christmas, but I want to finish out OWLs here. I hate to say this, but I won't continue at Hogwarts after. Stan is finishing this year and I'll probably self study in Russia and take NEWT tests through the ICW over the next few years as I wish. I haven't decided entirely yet. I'll miss you, but you really must come visit us in St. Petersburg, it's a wonderful city."

Daphne just nodded, taking in the overload of information. She could see her friend was happy and that was what was important. Stan was a Durmstrang student who they had met and Tracey had become friendly with during the Tri-Wizard. He was Russian, but attended school in Bulgaria. His family was ancient pureblood, but he wasn't snobbish at all and he had been quite kind to them both. He had been Tracey's date to the Yule Ball. It helped that Tracey's grandmother was Russian and she spoke some of the language. It had been one of the things that had initially brought them together when she had helped him with a couple of difficult to translate words. Tracey's mum was muggleborn and had passed when she was a toddler, leaving her with her distant pureblood father who was always determined to find a good match for his only daughter. Daphne could see how her friend had done much better with Stan than anyone her father might have found in England.

"Wow Trace, that's a lot to take in. I'm happy for you. Stan's a good guy. I've heard St. Petersburg is the jewel of Russia and I'll definitely visit. Still, I'll miss you. So, you'll marry in the summer? You'll be sixteen."

"Yes, father is fine with it. Especially in Russia sixteen is not that young."

Daphne nodded and they kept talking for a few more minutes until it was time to call it a night. Daphne wished she could tell her friend more of her own plans, but her own future next summer was still decidedly uncertain.

The following morning saw the arrival of the Daily Prophet and soon it became obvious why Tonks had been on duty the night before. Some of the details were vague, but the DMLE had been conducting an ongoing investigation into certain individuals who were illegally importing restricted potions ingredients and other items. Specifically Byron Fawley was mentioned in the article. Lord Fawley was noted for holding a Samhain ritual and party each year and the DMLE had timed a raid for late evening at the height of the ritual. Even with the scarce details, it was obvious that the timing had been selected to catch guests at their most vulnerable. Apparently it had taken six minutes for three squads of Aurors to bring down the wards. Lord Fawley was arrested via warrant, while his family and guests were all questioned. The DMLE also had a permit to search the property and had found caches of illegal goods. Most damning though was when a secret closet was found that contained three Death Eater robes and two Death Eater masks. In addition to Lord Fawley and his nephew, two other guests were arrested for possession of restricted items. While the article wasn't long, it was an obvious win for the DMLE.

Tonks remained busy with the fallout of the raid until Thursday, when she arrived at the castle for Occlumency practice. The group all met in the Room as usual and everybody was anxious to hear more from Tonks about the raid. While she was trying to focus on their practice, she knew that curiosity needed to be satisfied.

"Alright everyone, I'll give you more details. Please though, this can't go beyond this room. I'm going to tell you more than even the Prophet knows right now. While the immediate work is done, this raid is going to provide the department with ongoing intelligence and work for a while. As the Prophet mentioned, the actions on Samhain were the result of a long running investigation. Specifically, several low level smugglers were caught about five months ago. One of them had a tie by marriage to a cousin of Lord Fawley. Each of those caught were facing a minimum of ten in Azkaban and each decided that talking to the DMLE was better than that fate. We knew about the illegal business dealings, but only had a suspicion about Lord Fawley being a Death Eater. Thankfully we had Mad-Eye along and he found the closet. It was protected with some nasty wards. Mad-Eye had to take a small blood donation from Lord Fawley to even open the closet. While we have Fawley and his nephew Hamish locked down on the smuggling charges, Amelia is hoping to go for treason if we can get proof of Death Eater activities. I think Hamish will be our weak link. He's only twenty and has led a privileged life. He'll crack before long."

"Also, the guest list at Fawley Manor included most of those that Harry named from the graveyard, including Malfoy. We have Amycus Carrow being held for possession of an illegal delirium draught. Lucius was clean unfortunately and has been screaming about unfair treatment of course. So, the work is just beginning, but is putting pressure where it's needed."

"Wow, interesting. The Prophet was definitely guessing."

Tonks nodded and then switched back to their Occlumency studies. Everyone had quite good shields and now just needed to maintain them and ensure that critical information was compartmentalized and hidden further. None of the group thought they could hold up if Voldemort himself questioned them, but anyone else like Professor Snape with his usual passive scans would find nothing.

As everyone finished their meditation that night the group began to gradually leave the room as usual, careful to not all be seen together. Hermione made sure she and Harry were the last left and held Tonks back when she was about to follow Ginny.

"Tonks, don't go yet. We still have nearly an hour until curfew. Do you want to talk about what has you bothered? I noticed you kept looking at Harry strangely."

Tonks hesitated for a moment as her hair cycled through several colors, betraying her emotions. Hermione was being patient and Harry was trying. It had been a long night and he let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. The move was beyond sexy and Tonks groaned.

"Damn Harry, stop being so bloody gorgeous! I told the two of you about my high sex drive. Since I decided to join the coven, I am committing myself to the group. It helps that there are six of you. The problem is that I haven't had sex in nearly a week. Usually I'd meet up with a friend or two for drinks and then we'd pick a flat to go back to, but I put them off. I really do want this to work. Not just to fight Voldemort, but because I have feelings for the both of you and I'm starting to have feelings for the others."

Hermione smiled and pulled Tonks into a hug. She kissed her lightly and then pulled back.

"I understand the issue now. Harry, you normally try to give each of us witches our own time. How about you stay here and help Tonks out? Dobby can pop you back to the dorm and also take Tonks to the gate whenever you're done."

"Um, sure Mione. I'm ready, well mostly."

Tonks groaned and Hermione took a moment to kiss Harry long and hard. Her hand drifted down as she fondled him, hardening him completely. Then she pulled away and wished them both a good night before leaving the room. Harry smiled at his newest girlfriend and pulled her close as their lips and then tongues met. Tonks was ready to vanish their clothes and drop to the floor, but Harry had other ideas as his thoughts directed the room to change. A large bed appeared and he gradually moved them closer to it as articles of clothing began flying. Tonks was panting with need as he carefully set her on the edge of the bed. She was about to protest against foreplay when he dropped to his knees and buried himself between her legs. She squealed as his tongue began to faintly trace against her mound. Then he opened her a bit and began to work her clit before diving lower to dip his tongue all the way into her. He continued the same path all over her as her fingers threaded in his hair and she begged for more. It didn't take long before her thighs clamped around him as she seized with her first release. Tonks was quite fit and the hold she had on his head was hurting a bit when she finally finished and he was able to move away. Her eyes were still closed as she recovered while he stood up. Her position at the edge of the bed was perfect and he was more than ready as he buried his needy cock into her. She let out a small shout of shock as her eyes flew open. She recovered quickly and soon joined his rhythm as they thrust together. Harry looked down on her and the look of adoration sent a chill through her. She had been denying vague feelings of attraction with this young wizard for months, hoping it was just hormones. Now though she realized it was much more. She knew it wouldn't take much for her to fall in love with him.

The two lovers spent long minutes moving together before Harry finally gave in and let out a long grunt before shouting a warning as long, hot spurts began to coat Tonks' tight walls. Feeling him come, she thrusted against him a couple of more times and then came for her second time that night. Once they were both complete, they collapsed together and rolled toward the middle of the bed. Once there, they lay for a few minutes while catching their breath. Tonks curled against Harry's side as they enjoyed the afterglow and talked for a while. They made love again a half hour or so later and then both admitted to being famished. Pulling a sheet over them, Harry called for Dobby. The elf left and returned moments later with a variety of small finger food snacks. The two lovers fed each other as they talked and laughed late into the night. Although Harry was tired, he knew Tonks was going to be busy and wouldn't be able to visit as much. With that in mind, he entered her from behind and made love to her one last time before they both dozed off.

Sometime around four, Tonks woke and needed the loo. Casting a tempus, she realized the time and kissed Harry awake. Although both would have preferred to stay together, they each had other obligations. After mutual trips to the loo, they cast cleaning charms and then dressed, careful to avoid touching too much and starting things up again. Once they were ready, Harry called for his elf and Dobby took Tonks to the gate before putting Harry in his bed. He enjoyed another hour and a bit of sleep before having to face another day of classes. When he made his way down to breakfast later that morning, he was a bit short on sleep, but he didn't mind in the least.

With it now being November, the weather took a decidedly chilly turn, immuring the students in the castle more often. Quidditch practices continued outside though and Hermione was always waiting with warm clothes and drinks when Harry returned. Classes were much the same, as well as their additional studies. Defense practices with Sirius were going well, although their DADA professor continually hinted and teased his godson about all the witches who seemed to attach themselves to him. They also continued morning runs using the copious hallways, as well as the stairs around the castle. The potion brewing was coming along well and seemed to be working to adjust cycles. With that potion done, Hermione began brewing the flushing potion and planned on having it ready by the end of the second week of November.

While things were continuing as usual at Hogwarts, outside of the school was another matter. The DMLE conducted several raids based off evidence and questioning of those that were arrested during the Fawley raid. Their successes though enraged Voldemort, and his followers increased their raids on muggle targets. As acting Minister, Amelia had met with the muggle Prime Minister and was working on improving the relationship with the muggle government, who had not been treated well by Fudge. One area of interest she discussed with him were muggle weapons, specifically those that could be used longer range. While the Prime Minister was still a bit wary, he did arrange a meeting with Amelia, several department heads, and a group of muggle military advisors. Amelia identified a couple of weapons that held promise, but she would need good solid targets before utilizing them.

While the DMLE was busy with the raids, another branch of justice was also working. The Judiciary Committee worked through it's backlog and began the review of the cases against Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in regards to the assault on Daphne. Since the review was not a full trial, individual witnesses were deposed separately, although on the same day. Each person was allowed a solicitor if they wished, although it wasn't mandatory. In the end, the review of the case took two full days for the five person committee to listen to all the evidence, as well as the three blowhard solicitors who argued that their clients were misguided boys who got a bit heavy handed and needed a second chance. The fact that Daphne didn't even need an overnight stay in the hospital wing also worked in their favor. In the end, Malfoy and Crabbe were both found guilty of prime assault and Goyle was convicted of secondary assault, but all escaped time in Azkaban. It was the middle of November and all had already served about a month of house arrest. Malfoy and Crabbe were sentenced to an additional eight months of house arrest and a five hundred galleon fine, while Goyle received three more months of house arrest and a hundred galleon fine. It meant that Draco at least wouldn't be seen for the rest of the school year. When everyone back at Hogwarts heard the sentence, the reaction was mixed. It would have been nice to have seen an Azkaban sentence, but at least Draco was getting some punishment for a change.

During the time that the Prophet was busy reporting on the Fawley raid and subsequent charges and fallout, the Quibbler article on Lord Voldemort was finally printed. It was a full three page article with a school picture of Tom that Luna had found and had emblazoned right on the front page. It was quite something to see the famed Lord Voldemort as nothing more than a small schoolboy. The article was well done, with corroborating evidence of his muggle background that couldn't be refuted and Luna wove a spectacular story. Xeno did a double printing and then the following day had to do another. By the third day, even the Prophet had to acknowledge certain facts that their rival had printed. It caused a firestorm at the Ministry and Amelia made good on her promise of extra Aurors at the Lovegood property. On the fourth day, a band of rogues tried to attack and were quickly dealt with. Unfortunately, Voldemort wasn't brave enough to send a major force at so obvious a target. Within the first week, Xeno did a total of five printings before deciding to take a vacation on the Isle of Man to search for some faery creature.

While Amelia was busy in her temporary role, she was also contemplating making the role permanent and putting her name in contention to be the Minister of Magic. While the thought intrigued her, the little bit she had experienced of the role made her hesitant. She talked to her boyfriend Sirius quite a bit about it and he helped her to admit where her heart really was.

Years earlier, shortly after Hogwarts, Amelia and Sirius had dated for a brief time. She had been one year behind him in school and had always been wary of the infamous Sirius Black. She had no intention of being one of his conquests. Sirius though saw something more in the smart young witch and did his best to convince her otherwise. He also tried to convince her to join the Hit Wizard squad, but she had her eyes set on being an Auror. The Hit Wizards were a small and elite group, brought in for more clandestine operations. They were rogues in the shadows, while the Aurors were the everyday troops who upheld the law. At times Hit Wizards were known to bend the law more than a bit and she couldn't settle herself with the idea. Their different paths were just one large reason among several that caused them to break up after almost a year together. A few months later Voldemort became more powerful and another year saw him killing the Potters and Sirius going to Azkaban. She had always doubted that he would ever betray James, but had stuck with the idea that justice always won out. Finding out years later that he hadn't received a trial and was actually innocent had shaken her as much as anyone and had altered her world view. Once he was a free man and showed an interest again, she happily welcomed him back and asked for forgiveness, even though he insisted it wasn't needed. As the months of his freedom grew longer and they spent more time together, she was finding herself quite attached to the somewhat calmed rogue.

As the time for the next Wizengamot session drew nearer, Amelia talked to Rufus Scrimgeour, who was the temporary acting director of the DMLE while she was the acting Minister. He was very much interested in the position, but didn't want to go against Amelia. After several long conversations about goals and the long term direction of the Ministry, they found a lot of common ground and Amelia told him that she was going to remove her name from contention. If he wished to pursue the position, she agreed to support and champion him. Rufus may have his faults, but he was honest to the core, which would be something rather new for the position of Minister of Magic. With her decision made, Amelia decided to visit Susan on Friday the 17th, since the Wizengamot was meeting the following Monday. Susan received the owl at breakfast that Friday and was excited to see her aunt, who was due to arrive at 5:30 that evening. All of Susan's partners were happy for her and several helped to calm her anticipation during the day.

For Susan, the day seemed to drag on forever. She hadn't seen her aunt in over a month and had only received brief letters. She knew her aunt was busy, but still found it difficult. Aunt Amy had become her guardian when she was a toddler and was as much her mother as her actual mother had been. She found herself in the library with the coven group and a few others after her last class. While she tried to work on an essay, she had a hard time focusing. Finally, at a quarter past five, she gave up and decided to leave early. Aunt Amy had specified Professor Black's office to meet in and she rushed there, willing to wait in solitude until her aunt arrived. She knew Aunt Amy also wanted to see Sirius, as their dating status had recently become known.

When she arrived at the office, she knocked quickly and then stepped inside. This was normal for Professor Black's students. He had an open door policy and his office consisted of two rooms with both an outer and inner office. Susan wasn't prepared for what she found when she barged in though. Aunt Amy was sitting on the edge of a table and was busy buttoning up her blouse while Sirius buckled his belt and kissed her neck simultaneously. It was quite obvious what had just happened and Susan yelped an apology before ducking back out. She decided to wait in the hallway outside and was there only a minute or so when her aunt stuck her head out.

"Come in Susie. Sorry, but you were a bit early."

Susan entered the room and found Sirius sitting in a chair smirking at her. Amelia looked a bit more unsure.

"Susie, I'm sorry about that. We should have locked the door, but we got a bit preoccupied."

"Look Aunt Amy, it was embarrassing, but I'm not a kid anymore and I'm not clueless about you two. Just remember the locking charms next time. We can all be adults about this. It's good to see you finally."

Susan pulled her aunt into a hug and Amelia was temporarily stunned. She had expected a much worse response. Her niece was definitely growing up. They pulled back and went to claim chairs near Sirius. The three settled in and spent the next half hour talking. While Amelia was happy for Susan's mature composure, she had to wonder about the reason and brought it up after a few minutes.

"Susie, I have to ask. You're much more comfortable with adult discussions. Is there a reason? Are you dating anyone I don't know about?"

Susan suppressed a sigh and took a moment to respond. Unfortunately, her aunt and Sirius were both trained interrogators and could read plenty from body language. Eventually Susan managed a censored response.

"There is someone I'm interested in auntie, but the situation is…complicated. I'll probably tell you more before long. Please just don't push me on it for right now."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with my godson? I've noticed he's quite popular with the witches."

Susan tried to avoid Sirius' look and instead turned to her aunt.

"Like I said, I need time. Please."

"Alright, but please be careful. Although since this involves Harry, I feel a bit better. That young man is quite respectable. I do wonder where Hermione fits in this. And yes Susie, Sirius and I could both read enough in your body language to know that something is going on. I do respect your maturity though and will give you the time you need. You know you can always come to me. And of course, Sirius is here in the castle. I know if you asked for him instead of Professor Black, he would help you on a personal level."

"Of course I would. You and any of Harry's friends."

Susan nodded and then the conversation thankfully changed to the upcoming Wizengamot meeting. Before long it was time for dinner and Sirius had made reservations for a restaurant in London. Susan hugged her aunt and said goodbye as she made her way to the Great Hall for dinner.

That Saturday found the coven back in the room for dinner with Dobby in full chef outfit, spoiling them with a varied selection of dishes. Once they finished eating, Hermione passed around the flushing potions that would neutralize anything currently in their bodies, including contraception potions. From that point forward they knew that they'd have to be more careful and use short acting charms.

With the potions done, Susan told them about her meeting with her aunt. When she told everyone about catching Amelia and Sirius, Harry just chuckled and shook his head. He was more upset though when she explained that they had an idea that something was going on with him. Hermione though wasn't surprised and calmly rubbed Harry's back.

"Harry, this isn't really a surprise. I'm actually surprised we've kept ourselves quiet for this long. At least Amelia and Sirius are giving us time. You do still plan on approaching each parent or guardian before the solstice, right?"

"Yes Hermione, I think it's only right. I guess we need to talk more about this with everyone. Hermione, you know I love you and you will be my Lady Potter. When we started all this, I could say I liked each of my other girlfriends and I cared about each of you. In the past months that has changed. Am I in love with each of you? Maybe not completely, but I am falling in love. Ginny, you were the second added to our relationship and you bring a feisty spunk that keeps me guessing. And of course I can talk Quidditch with you. Daphne, you've given me new insights into pureblood politics and I've come to treasure your cunning and advice. Luna, you save me from getting too serious and bring a brightness to those around you, like a moonbeam. Susan, you are the quintessential Hufflepuff, always loyal and true. I know I will always get a candid and insightful viewpoint from you. You also help to bring a different kind of calm to the group. Finally, Tonks, our jokester with the quick one-liners that keeps me off guard. And of course your naughty side that I love as well. It's actually a bit surprising just how well we have all meshed together. And I'm not just talking about the sex, although that's bloody brilliant. I guess what I am trying to say is that I'm convinced now this will work. With the bonds we already have, I can't see us doing the rituals and then not bonding and going our separate ways. I was doubtful once, but I can see us all working now. With this in mind, I want to formalize agreements with your families. I know some of you want to carry on your names and use consort contracts. I have three houses to carry on as well. I need a Lady Gryffindor and a Lady Peverell. I yielded to Hermione's brilliance to start this, and I'm going to yield to all of you to decide where you want to be. That is if you'll each have me for the long term."

All of the witches were touched by Harry's words and he soon found himself being thoroughly kissed as each took turns showing him that they were all definitely in agreement. Once everyone was seated again, Daphne took the lead since this was something she was more familiar with.

"Alright, well I think it's obvious that no one is interested in leaving. Let's go in order of how long each of us have been with Harry. Hermione already has her place of course. Our next lady will be Lady Gryffindor. I think Ginny is the ideal candidate there since her family has been Gryffindors for generations. Ginny? Anyone else have any problem with this?"

No one objected and Ginny was thrilled to be offered the title of Lady Gryffindor.

"So, the third house is Peverell, one of the oldest with a rich history. There are three of us who want line continuation contracts, so that would leave Tonks as Lady Peverell if she wants it. You don't need to continue your line, do you Tonks?"

"No, dad has two brothers with four sons between them. I'd be happy to take the title of Lady Peverell, although calling me a lady seems strange."

That brought a few snickers, but no one objected as Daphne continued.

"That covers the three ladyships for the houses. Then there are three of us who want line continuation contracts. That means being consorts to one of the houses. Harry, under modern laws, you can only take a consort if a house is in danger of dying out. That means if you are the last of the line. Since you are that for all three, you can have a consort for each. Luna, Susan, and myself all want to continue our lines. We just need to decide what houses we each want to be consort for. I know we won't be treated any differently, but we need to think about the history of each of our families when we make the choice. For example, my family has been traditionally neutral and has never sorted into Gryffindor. Except for two or three individuals, we've always been Slytherin. So, I don't think Gryffindor is for me. I've thought about this a bit, and my preference would be Potter since my family has done business with the Potters in the past. Susan, Luna, do either of you have an issue with this?"

Luna shook her head as she replied.

"I'm fine with that Daphne. I'd like to be consort to House Peverell. My father would be thrilled to have me associated with the lineage of the Three Brothers. He's a student of the search for the Hallows."

Susan nodded, remembering the story of the Three Brothers from the Tales of Beedle the Bard, a staple for all wizarding children. That left one option for her and she was quite happy with it.

"That would leave me consort to House Gryffindor then and I'm fine with that. I had an uncle who was a Gryffindor and I think there were a few others throughout the family tree."

Daphne grinned. This was coming together easier than she had anticipated.

"Alright then, so do we all agree? Lady Hermione Potter with Consort to House Potter, Daphne Greengrass. Lady Ginny Gryffindor with Consort to House Gryffindor, Susan Bones. Lady Tonks Peverell with Consort to House Peverell, Luna Lovegood."

Everyone around the group all nodded in enthusiastic agreement. Harry grinned, happy that it had been settled with no input from him. Tonks had one final point.

"So, if I'm Lady Tonks Peverell, that means I can drop my first name?"

"If that's what you want Tonks. I don't want your parents angry though."

"Don't worry about that, I'll handle them. They know my opinion of that name. Mum will probably always call me Dora, but that's fine."

Harry grinned happily then and addressed everyone.

"Well, I'm glad that's decided and everyone is happy. I guess we have just over a month, so I should probably start working on the legal paperwork. I need to find a good solicitor if anyone knows one."

"Well my dad, Ted Tonks, is one, but that would probably be a conflict of interest at least for my contract."

"Harry, you need to advise Gringotts that you plan to revive your other two houses. They can probably help with a solicitor and contracts."

"Brilliant! I'll arrange to take a trip to Gringotts. Anyone want to come?"

Daphne spoke up before Hermione could.

"Actually Harry, you should go alone. This is something where it will look good for you as a lord of three houses to stand on your own."

Harry shrugged and agreed. Like he had said, Daphne understood politics better than anyone else in the group.

"Since we're all here, are you planning on exercising your rights as Lord Gryffindor after the holiday once the filing is public Harry? I know we only mentioned it in passing over the summer."

Harry sighed and looked at Hermione before glancing around the rest of the group. His gaze settled on his Ginny, his future Lady Gryffindor, although it was Daphne who spoke up.

"I hadn't thought about that Hermione, but Gryffindor is a founder's line. That must come with some unique privileges in the castle. Have you researched it? Ginny, your thoughts as Lady Gryffindor?"

"Um, I yield to Hermione…"

Harry chuckled as all eyes swung to his research mistress.

"Well, as the heir of a founder, Harry can assume residence in Gryffindor's apartment with his family. It's supposed to be a good size and may work for all of us. He can also sit with the Board and gets ten votes. It's not enough to out vote the entire Board, but close. It will make Dumbledore think twice and may allow him to start to make some changes. I know we've only talked about a few things in passing because we've been so busy working up to the solstice, but once Voldemort is gone, we may want to think about future goals."

"Well sounds good to me."

"Yeah, the apartment sounds good."

"I agree. Let's start with the apartment and then maybe see about making changes."

Everyone was in agreement to see how things went after the solstice and holiday. The potential of the Gryffindor title definitely looked promising. It was something that had been put to the side for a while that could take precedence once a certain Dark Lord was dealt with.

With the serious discussions wrapping up, the group soon turned to more delightful activities as they began to discard clothing and paired off in initial groupings for the evening. The next several hours were spent passionately as the newly re-committed group enforced their bonding even further.


	17. Legalities

Chapter 17 – Legalities

The following Monday was normal at Hogwarts, but a lot of students had their minds on what was happening in London with the vote for Minister of Magic. A number of students had parents on the Wizengamot. Harry had talked to Augusta briefly when she had been in the castle for a school board meeting and they were both aligned on choosing Rufus. He knew his proxy was in good hands, but hated having to wait.

While Harry was just finishing his first class of the day, the Wizengamot was beginning to gather in chambers. The room was packed for this monumental meeting. Even members who often shied from attending were there. The press area was overflowing and there was also a noticeable Auror presence stationed around the room.

Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock, started the session by calling for the usual seat or membership changes. There were no new additions or proxies, so he moved on to the business at hand. There were a handful of small items to address, mainly around funding some ministerial departments. The room had an underlying buzz as everyone shifted in their seats as they waited with anticipation. Finally the call for nominations came. Each nomination would need to be seconded and then the person nominated would also need to agree. That last point was more a formality, as anyone being nominated would have been asked beforehand. There was a bit of a surprise when Amelia nominated Rufus and was not put forward herself. Most had assumed incorrectly that she enjoyed and wanted the job. In addition to Rufus, Malfoy nominated Lord Nott, the obvious candidate for the darker houses. Also in the running were Griselda Marchbanks, an ancient little witch who could probably give the history on the past twenty ministers just from personal memory. Finally, Graeme Wilkes, the director of the Magical Transportation department, was named. He was an ineffectual man who was backed by a couple of neutral houses. Amelia thought that the dark aligned houses would be fine with him as well since they would be able to easily lead him by the nose. With the four candidates nominated and seconded, Dumbledore opened the floor to allow statements from each candidate. Once that was done, the floor was opened to the whole body.

The speeches and discussions went on for over two hours. It became obvious early on that Griselda would be out. She had a lot of friends in chambers, but had needed the arm of Lord Thomas to even shuffle her way down to the floor of the chambers and back again. Graeme Wilkes was as boring as always, but he did make a couple of good points. The real debate was between Lord Nott and Rufus. The two were firmly on different sides of a divide and the Chief Warlock had to call for order several times. Amelia watched the Aurors and proudly noted how they shifted their presence as needed around the room. She was certain that without them in the room, things might have turned ugly.

Finally no one else had anything to say and Dumbledore called for a vote. As per the Wizengamot charter, a vote for Minister required a standard majority vote, regardless of the number of nominees. The first vote came back with 42% for Rufus, 38% for Nott, 17% for Graeme, and 3% for Griselda. Without the necessary majority, the Chief Warlock removed the lowest contender from eligibility, per the rules of the chamber. With Griselda out that only freed a small percentage and wouldn't account for enough to swing a majority. Dumbledore was about to call for a second vote when Graeme stood slowly after having waited a few minutes to think about his position. When he removed himself from the nominees, there was a smattering of applause and a comment of thanks from Dumbledore. With only two nominees now, the second vote would be final. Amelia nervously watched around her, noting glances and hand gestures as allies communicated across chambers. Dumbledore allowed a full ten minutes for everyone to decide and submit their votes. The time seemed to drag on interminably, but finally the Chief Warlock stood and called the chamber to order again.

"Thank you to everyone for your input and votes on this most monumental decision. The votes have been tallied and our new Minster of Magic is Rufus Scrimgeour with a vote of 56%. Let us wish our new Minister well as he comes forward to take his oath."

Amelia applauded with most of the chamber as she watched Rufus go forward. She was relieved to see someone fair and honest in the position. It also meant she could return to the DMLE and the job she much preferred. The oath didn't take long and Rufus took his seat to the right of the Chief Warlock, in the Minister's chair. Amelia could have been sitting there, but had opted to sit in the Bones seat. With no further business to be addressed, Dumbledore called a close to the session. Rufus was immediately overwhelmed with well wishers and those wanting to get an early word with the Minister. Amelia caught his eye over the crowd and gave a bit of a wave before leaving chambers. She knew that she and Rufus would have plenty of time to talk later.

News of the vote arrived at Hogwarts at the end of lunch when Dumbledore returned. A number of students had already left the hall, but he stood and made a brief announcement of welcome to Rufus Scrimgeour, Minister of Magic. Harry was just getting ready to leave when he heard and he joined others in clapping at the news. By dinnertime that evening, the news had spread to the entire castle. Theo Nott was of course displeased that his father was defeated, and most of Slytherin aligned themselves with him in disgust, but the majority of those students who understood politics at all, welcomed the change.

The following morning the Daily Prophet announced the news and also included a statement from Minister Scrimgeour. In it he stated quite clearly that one of his first goals was to stand against Voldemort and see him gone for good. This was the first public acceptance from the Ministry of Voldemort's return, and Harry found that to be the most newsworthy item of the day.

For the students at Hogwarts, the week continued and soon November was drawing to a close. Tonks was busy, but still managed a visit twice a week, still under the guise of being their Occlumency tutor. That was still somewhat correct, although she usually only meditated with them briefly and helped to ensure shields were maintained. At most that took a half hour. The rest of the time she spent with the coven. While she enjoyed the sex of course, she also enjoyed bonding with the group. Growing up as an only child with a unique and strange ability had isolated her from her peers. She had a couple of good friends, but they had taken years to establish trust with. Too often she had to be wary of those who tried to get close to her out of curiosity. And in too many cases, her lovers wanted her to use her skills to provide them with whatever fantasy person they wished. Sometimes the games were fun, but she enjoyed being accepted for herself. Harry and Hermione made it clear early on that whatever form she chose as her norm was fine and the others followed their lead. Both Harry and Hermione had experienced difficult childhoods as well and understood.

December dawned on a Friday and Harry knew it was time to begin preparing for the solstice in earnest. He had little doubt that the coven would bond completely with the rituals. While the coven bond was acknowledged as binding by Gringotts, it wasn't given full legal recognition by the Ministry. Those bonded in a coven were similar in status to anyone under house protection. Gringotts was another matter and would accept the group as a whole as soon as the bond registered with their unique magic. Harry hoped to keep news of the coven quiet for a while and the Ministry's lack of recognition would help since the goblins were notoriously tight lipped about their clients. There were still others to consider, namely each of their families. With the solstice occurring just before the winter holidays, each family would expect their daughters to return home. This had been discussed among the group and everyone knew that with the bond fresh they would need to remain close. Harry had already informed Milly to prepare Potter Manor for a lot of guests for the holidays and planned to invite all the families. The idea scared him almost as much as Voldemort and he knew that he would need to make their relationships official with the proper contracts. The exception to this was Hermione as the sole muggleborn, but Harry planned on offering the same to the Grangers, refusing to single her out.

With all this in mind, Harry informed Professor McGonagall that he had House Potter business to attend to on Saturday the 2nd. Usually he would have waited until the Hogsmeade weekend one week later, but he didn't want to delay further. The professor was a bit curious, but she didn't question. With Harry having taken his lordship, she legally had to allow him to attend to his house business as long as it didn't interfere with school.

On Thursday night the entire coven met as usual for dinner in the room and Harry talked with each of his girlfriends about the contracts they wanted. Everyone agreed and the terms of each for all wives would be the same, as would the consorts. Harry also had another surprise, but a brief slip was caught by Ginny when he mentioned additional business at Gringotts. He decided to fess up and let them know that he was planning rings, but refused to budge further when asked for details.

Saturday morning saw Harry awake early and dressed in his House Potter robes. After a quick breakfast, he walked to Hogsmeade and then floo'd to Diagon and made his way to Gringotts. Several days before he had sent an owl to Silverclaw and his account manager was expecting him. As soon as he arrived, he was quickly taken to the back corridors and shown to the familiar office, where he was greeted as soon as he entered.

"Lord Potter, a good day to you. I hope your coffers are overflowing."

"Thanks to yourself and Gringotts, I am assured they are honorable Silverclaw."

With the greetings exchanged, Harry took a seat and immediately got down to business.

"The reason I wanted this meeting Silverclaw is that I plan to resurrect Houses Gryffindor and Peverell. I need to know what to do to make that official. I am also interested in hiring a solicitor who can handle betrothal and consort contracts for my three houses. Finally, I need to inquire if it is possible to hire a goblin jeweler to make some rings."

"I see. Well, the opening of the houses is a simple letter of intent. Then you must name a betrothed to the house within thirty days with a copy of the contract filed here at the bank. From the time of betrothal you have a period of two years to produce offspring for the house. The house will remain open from that time forward, even if only female children are produced. Upon a male heir being born, the house vaults will be opened once the heir reaches the age of two years. In times past, many children died in the first couple of years. The ancient laws acknowledge that once a child reaches two years of age, they are more likely to survive and produce future heirs. If no male heir is produced for a house by the time of your passing, the house will go extinct again for seven generations. Once those generations have passed, an heir from another of the linked houses may choose the same path you are choosing and attempt to resurrect the house. You mentioned wives and consorts. Which houses will have consorts? A house must take a lady before a consort is allowed."

"Yes, Hermione has researched this thoroughly and made me aware of that. I plan on naming a wife and a consort to each of the three houses."

If Silverclaw was surprised by that admission, his goblin facade didn't betray him. Any wizard would have been shocked.

"Well then, I understand your need for a solicitor. We have several available that could handle such contracts. So that I can better select someone, do you plan on merging with any other Noble or Ancient houses?"

Harry gave an affirmative and Silverclaw pondered for a minute.

"Alright, I think senior solicitor Higgins would be a good choice. He isn't in on Saturdays, but I can summon him and see if he is available. I also need to gather the forms for your declarations of intent to revive the houses. Also, I will inquire regarding rings and see if we have a craftsman willing to take your commission. Can you please wait here?"

Harry nodded and Silverclaw left promptly. Twenty minutes later he returned with a small stack of parchment.

"Lord Potter, Solicitor Higgins will be arriving shortly. Also, Master Goldtoe has agreed to take your commissions. We'll summon him when your other business is complete. In the meantime, I have the two sets of forms here. Each will be filed at Gringotts, as well as have copies sent to the Ministry."

Harry looked over the forms he was presented and noted that each required the intended lady of the house to be named. He had no problem with that, except that he had yet to arrange the betrothals.

"Silverclaw, these look straightforward, but I do have one concern. I am afraid if this goes to the Ministry, someone will find it and the information will be made public knowledge before I have a chance to approach the families I intend to betroth."

"I understand your concern. This is not uncommon and we can place a Gringotts privacy seal on the contents for a duration of thirty days. We do this for a number of different documents, including business and property dealings that are time sensitive. There is an additional charge, but I don't believe that will be an issue."

"No, I anticipated a number of charges today. And thirty days will give me the time I need. How does the privacy seal work?"

"When the forms arrive at the Ministry, only the title will be visible. The Ministry will know the two houses are being resurrected, but have no details about who is lord or who the betrothed to the house is intended to be. The arrival date will be noted and the forms will be put on hold. Once the thirty days are reached, the department will file the relevant details."

Harry pondered for a minute. He knew the resurrecting of House Gryffindor would definitely peak interest. Still, no one would know he was tied to it. He supposed it would have to do.

"Very well, let's proceed."

Harry took Silverclaw's direction and signed where needed, filling in Ginevra Weasley for House Gryffindor and Nymphadora Tonks for House Peverell. He knew that Tonks wanted to get rid of her first name, but that would have to be stated within the betrothal contract. He was just finishing the forms when a knock announced the arrival of Solicitor Higgins with a goblin escort. Silverclaw welcomed the solicitor in and made the introductions. The solicitor was in his mid-fifties, quite tall and very skinny with a pointed grey beard and a thick head of steel grey hair. His shrewd eyes missed nothing as he noted the forms just completed as Silverclaw healed Harry's hand. He took the offered seat and waited while Silverclaw finished his business with Harry.

"Lord Potter, all that is left now is for you to take your rings. Here they are…"

A cherry wood box was placed in front of Harry, along with a dark walnut box. Harry opened each and found that the first contained a bold ring with a large ruby, on which was carved the familiar Gryffindor lion, although this one was complete with a sword between its paws. The other ring was more unusual, with a dark blue stone featuring a strange geometric design that included a triangle and a circle that was divided down the middle. Then he remembered the story of the Three Brothers that Luna had told him and figured this must be the symbol of the Hallows. He took the Gryffindor ring and placed it on the same finger as his Potter ring. There was a golden glow that suffused him for about ten seconds before disappearing down into the ring, where he saw it merge below the Potter ring. Next he took the Peverell ring and put it on next. This time the glow was less and silver, but it still sized down and joined with the other two as well. Silverclaw gave a nod and what seemed to be a goblin smile.

"Very good, the rings have accepted you. The paperwork is really a formality now. By the way, you can use your house magic to show only the ring or rings that you wish for now. When you use the rings to place a seal, you will need to focus your magic on showing one or a combination of the seals together."

Harry took a moment and thought about his rings and soon the three stones disappeared to become one and only the Potter ring was shown. With that done, Silverclaw turned his attention to Solicitor Higgins, who had been watching with interest.

"Solicitor, Lord Potter has quite a bit of business that needs your unique talents. I've finished the business I have for him and I can yield my office for the two of you to use as you need."

"Actually Silverclaw, I would prefer you stay. You have given me good counsel and you will know everything the solicitor and I discuss shortly."

Silverclaw gave a bare nod and sat back down as Solicitor Higgins regarded his new client.

"Lord Potter, what is it that I can help you with? It seems you've already had a busy day."

"I wish to enlist your assistance with some betrothal and consort contracts. I need all information kept private for now. The contracts I just finished will be going to the Ministry with a thirty day privacy seal. I expect all will become known before long, but I have reasons to delay that as long as possible."

"I see. Then I assume that the forms you just completed were to resurrect the houses associated with those rings. I can certainly handle simple or complex contracts like you require. And I have built my career and reputation on ensuring the integrity of my dealings with my clients. I would suggest that if you wish to proceed, we begin with a privacy clause contract and oath to further reassure you."

"That seems reasonable and yes, I do wish to hire you. Silverclaw mentioned that you're one of the more elite solicitors and I am aware that your skills come with a cost, but I can afford it. These dealings are too important to trust to someone with less experience."

"Very well, here is the form to enlist me as your personal solicitor. My services are 95 galleons an hour for myself. Any research done by my research assistants is 40 galleons an hour. There are also form and contract fees that vary depending on what you will be needing."

Harry accepted the contract and looked it over quickly. It was straightforward and he signed quickly. He had expected the solicitor to be expensive, but his fees were almost 2,000 pounds an hour. Anyway, it would be worth it. Once that was completed, Solicitor Higgins gave him a brief smile.

"Thank you Lord Potter. I am sure I will enjoy working with you. Now can you please give me the details of what contracts you need."

"Well, you were correct that I am resurrecting two houses, Gryffindor and Peverell. I need a betrothal contract for Hermione Jean Granger, a muggleborn. She will be Lady Potter. I also need a betrothal contract for Ginevra Molly Weasley, who will be Lady Gryffindor. Next, I need a betrothal contract for Nymphadora Tonks, who will be Lady Peverell. Also, Tonks wishes to have her name reflect a name change to Tonks Peverell at the time of our marriage, eliminating the name Nymphadora. Although Hermione is muggleborn, I don't want her contract any different. I expect my discussion with her parents may vary a bit though. Next, I will be naming a consort to each house. Each of these three will be line continuation contracts for the ladies. First, for House Potter, my consort will be Daphne Ariadne Greengrass. House Gryffindor will be consort Susan Amelia Bones. House Peverell will be consort Luna Pandora Lovegood. I would like each contract to include equal bride and consort prices of 5,000 galleons paid to each family. I do not see any of them as less than any of the others."

Silverclaw may have managed to maintain his goblin stoicism, but Solicitor Higgins sat back in a bit of a shock. It was apparent now why Lord Potter wanted the best for this. He took just a moment to recover his senses.

"Alright, well you will certainly be keeping me busy. Since the contracts are similar, that will help. Any specifics you want in each contract? Number of offspring? Time to produce offspring?"

"No, those are decisions that should be made by a couple. I was muggle raised and find the whole idea of contracts to be a bit disconcerting, but I wish to gain the respect of all my future in-laws and know this is what must be done. My only stipulation is that if any immediate family member, parent, grandparent, or sibling, of a bride or consort's house is found guilty of any criminal charges that the bride price be rescinded back to me. I don't believe this will be an issue, but with Voldemort's return, I can't be too careful."

"Indeed, a unique clause, but it should not pose a problem. In regard to the consorts, might I make a suggestion. I understand that each is taking those roles for line continuation reasons. That being said, the houses they are consorting too are also low on heirs. It would be standard in these cases to have a clause specifying that if the lady of the named house does not produce any male heirs, then the first male heir of the consort would take his father's house title, while a secondary son would be used for the line continuation of his mother's house."

Harry took a moment to ponder that. He supposed it made sense. He hadn't talked to any of the ladies about that idea. He didn't see it being a problem. He knew that none of them would have issues with baby making. He supposed he could move ahead and discuss it with them when he returned.

"Alright, I can agree to that. I hadn't considered it and I will need to discuss with my three intended consorts. Please work on the betrothals first and I will owl you later today to confirm that clause once we talk about it."

"That's fine. The betrothals will keep me busy for a couple of days. When did you want these contracts ready?"

This was something that the coven had discussed. They had decided to start with the betrothals first and then the consorts.

"I need the betrothal contracts by next weekend. I plan on meeting with the families on Saturday if possible. My plan then is to meet with the consort families the following weekend."

"A bit of a rush, but the contracts are not complex. Do you wish to meet with the families in my presence? I can send meeting requests from my office. That is standard for betrothals."

"Thank you, but no. As I mentioned, this is new to me and I don't think these discussion should be impersonal. All of these families will become part of my family. I will meet with each separately with their daughters each present."

"Well, that will be different. Often the girls are not consulted more than a passing query in private. I will say that with the prices you are offering, I doubt you will have any issues. You do know that a very pretty witch of pureblood breeding with completed schooling brings only 3,500-4,000 on average?"

"Yes, Daphne told me such. I think it's stupid to rank a woman on her breeding or looks. I suppose school scores makes a bit of sense. I don't want to put a price on any of them, but they are all worth much more to me."

"Of course. I must say, you are unique Lord Potter. I look forward to working with you. Since you plan on meeting with the betrothal families on Saturday, can we perhaps meet on Friday afternoon? I can go over the contracts and the procedure for seeing them filed."

"That's fine. My last class should be over by three."

"I can provide you and Solicitor Higgins a conference room here at Gringotts at 3:30 Lord Potter."

"Thank you Silverclaw."

Solicitor Higgins confirmed that time would work and asked Harry a few more questions before they wrapped their discussion. Harry stood and said goodbye to the solicitor, who then left him and Silverclaw alone.

"Now Lord Potter, if you will excuse me for a couple of minutes, I will see if Goldtoe is ready to meet with you."

Harry nodded and his account manager left, allowing Harry a few minutes with his thoughts. He only had a few minutes when Silverclaw returned with a tiny little goblin with pure white hair who immediately began scrutinizing the young lord. Harry met his gaze and refused to waver. Silverclaw had been ready to make introductions, but paused as he watched the two focus on each other. After two solid minutes, Goldtoe gave a barking laugh.

"Ha! I like this one! Doesn't back down. Lord Potter, I am Senior Craftsman Goldtoe. I've been told that you have some commissions for me."

"Actually Senior Craftsman, the lord's full title is Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter."

"Indeed. Very interesting. So my young lord, commissions for one or all three houses?"

Goldtoe had taken a seat and turned to face Harry, who found he liked the unusually boisterous goblin.

"I will want six rings Senior Craftsman, three for each lady of my houses and three for each consort of my houses. Here is what I have in mind, although please let me know any thoughts you have…"

Harry and Goldtoe spent the next twenty minutes talking and the craftsman also did a couple of rough sketches. Once the idea was decided on, an estimate of cost was given. It was quite expensive, but Harry could afford it and wasn't daunted.

"Well then my young lord, I think it is good I just finished my last commission. I can see I am going to be busy if I want to make your deadline. A very interesting project though. Very different. I like it, keeps me from getting bored. I'll keep Silverclaw updated and he can notify you. Good day."

Goldtoe left and Harry turned back to Silverclaw, still a bit dazed by the unusual goblin. Silverclaw saw the look on his face and gave a feral grin.

"Yes Harry, Senior Craftsman Goldtoe is a bit…eccentric. He is also exceptional at what he does, which allows for a bit of tolerance. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"One last item that I was thinking about while I wait. I want to make sure each of the ladies have funds if they need them. I would like each lady to be given a monthly allowance of 1,000 galleons. Vault access will happen once we are married."

"Hmm, another unusual request, but I guess not for you. This is a standard form I have here. We just need six of them. You should know with these allowances that they are refilled monthly up to the amount from the amount unused the month before. Any unused amount will be rolled into the next month."

Harry nodded in acceptance and took one of the forms. After looking it over, he completed it and then the five additional. With that done, he could think of no further business for the day. He thanked Silverclaw and was then led out of the bank and made his way back to Hogwarts.

As Harry left the office, Silverclaw sat back in his seat and let his mask fall as he let out a long sigh and rubbed his hands together. That was a most monumental meeting. The young lord had impressed him before, but now he knew Lord Harry James Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter would definitely be one to watch.

Meanwhile back at Hogwarts, Harry went to the library and found Hermione and Susan. They both looked at him expectantly, but he pulled out his Charms homework first and then whispered to them.

"Later, when we are all together."

Hermione's lips pinched a bit and Harry chuckled at her. He knew she didn't like the delay, but he did need all of them together and with more privacy. Since they were scheduled for their usual Saturday night, it would be the best time.

Once the entire coven was together in the Room later that evening, Harry asked Dobby to delay dinner a few minutes since he knew all his girlfriends were wanting to hear the news.

"Everything went well at Gringotts today. I signed the forms declaring my intent to resurrect my other two houses. Silverclaw is putting a thirty day goblin security seal on them, meaning the Ministry will see the title and know the intent when they are filed, but details won't be available for thirty days. Doubled the cost of the forms, but it's more than worth it. Also, he found a very good solicitor named Thomas Higgins that I have retained for the betrothal and consort contracts. The solicitor was a bit surprised, but he recovered well. He is one of the best and not cheap, but this is too important and I've got the money. I indicated that I wanted to meet with the three betrothal families next weekend and the three consort families the following weekend. I'd like each of you to go with me when I meet your families. Is that alright? Hermione, as Lady Potter, do you wish to accompany us to each?"

"No Harry, I've already stated my approval, I don't want to complicate the meetings."

"Actually Harry, including us on the meetings will be quite unusual. I like the idea, but are you sure? It breaks tradition."

"Yes Daphne. We're non-traditional as it is. Of course, we are going to avoid mention of the coven for now, but the idea of multiple partners may be difficult for some families. If any question us and find out how many partners, we may receive some complaints. Also, Solicitor Higgins mentioned a suggestion that is common on the consort contracts. I approved it, but I can have it changed if I owl him quickly. There will be a clause stating that if any lady for a house does not produce a male heir, then the first male child of the associated consort would take the title of the house, meaning you would need a second male heir to then carry on the consort's line. Any objections?"

"No, that sounds fine for me Harry. The Bones family is old, if not the most traditional, but the clause is something I've heard of. Anyway, I honestly doubt it will be a problem."

Daphne and Luna agreed with Susan and Harry grinned.

"Excellent, I'll owl the solicitor and let him know to continue as we discussed. One other point that I outlined with the solicitor is that despite the type of contracts, I am offering each of your families equal amounts for bride or consort payments. As far as I'm concerned, you are all equal members of this partnership. Each contract will include a 5,000 galleon payment. I know we hadn't discussed specifics…"

Anything else Harry was going to say was cut off as Ginny landed in his lap and started to snog him. After a minute, she realized she needed to share and moved off as each of the five others took a turn doing the same. Daphne was last and remained on his lap for a minute as she looked in his eyes.

"Harry, I can't believe that. I mean, I know you have the money, but still. That price is above what you would pay for the most gorgeous and pure pureblood princess. And the fact you're paying the same for consorts with line continuation agreements. That's unheard of. I think you'll shock each family enough that they won't think to question the multiple partnership."

"Well, I'm glad everyone's happy. As you know, I don't like putting a price on any of you, but I know it's traditional. You're each worth so much more than that."

"Ooh Harry, you better stop for now and call Dobby back or we're all going to jump you and we'll never get to eat."

Harry laughed as the rest of his girlfriends agreed with Susan while Daphne reluctantly got off his lap. Then Dobby was called and soon dinner was served. While they ate, he discussed times and details of his meeting with the betrothal contracts the following weekend. It was decided that they would start in the morning with the Tonks family, then the Grangers just before lunch with the intention of staying for lunch. As the sole muggleborn, Hermione was the most disconnected from her family during school and she liked the idea of spending a couple of hours with them. Then they would meet in the afternoon with the Weasleys. Tonks advised that since her mother and family had been reinstated to House Black by Sirius, that he should be in the meeting. Tonks was a new wizarding family, but House Black was ancient and held precedence in such proceedings. Harry knew she was right, but dreaded the teasing he knew he would take. There were a few details to arrange, but they had it outlined by the end of the meeting. One thing Harry wasn't looking forward to was arranging for each of his girlfriends to have time away from school and getting Dumbledore to approve it without having the old man probe into his personal business.

"Actually Harry, Dumbledore wasn't at lunch today and I heard McGonagall mention that he has ICW business for a few days. You'd probably be better approaching her."

"Excellent. She'll still question me, but fairly. Maybe I should get approvals for the following weekend as well while I'm at. What order should I meet with the consort families?"

It was decided that they would start with the Greengrasses in the morning, since they would be the most particular and scrutinizing. Next would be a meeting with Madam Bones, and Susan was going to suggest lunch at Bones Manor as well. Harry looked forward to that, knowing Madam Bones would be easier to relax with. Finally, in the afternoon he would meet with Mr. Lovegood. With the schedule lined up, Hermione began to chew her lip, causing Harry to groan and pull her in for a long kiss.

"You know that turns me on Mione. What are you thinking about?"

"Actually, I was thinking about McGonagall. She'll want official forms allowing each of us to leave the grounds. You can ask for that when you send requests to meet with each family. As soon as you show up asking to leave at different times with a different one of us each time, she's going to start to put some of this together. The woman is brilliant. She may not like it, but I think you will need to go into Lord Potter mode and get an oath from her. You can't supersede any oath she's made to the school, but an oath should keep her from volunteering information to Dumbledore."

"Damn, sorry, but you're right as always. Can someone please work on that for me? Also, I will need help drafting the letters."

"Well, no time like the present I guess Harry. I know we prefer to use our evenings for fun, but this is the best time."

Harry groaned, but nodded in acceptance. He called for Dobby and the elf responded immediately.

"Dobby, first, thank you for another fantastic dinner. I'm sure you've got a dessert waiting for us, but we need to do some work first. Can you please clear the dishes and then bring me a few items. I need a few sheets of regular parchment, as well as a dozen sheets of the parchment that has my house crest, and a few quills and pots of ink."

Dobby nodded in acknowledgement and a snap of his fingers saw the dinner dishes disappear. Harry mentally asked the room to keep the table available. A couple of minutes later, Dobby was back with all the items. Daphne volunteered to work with Susan on the oath for McGonagall. Meanwhile, Hermione took the lead on drafting the outline for each of the six notes requesting meetings with each of their families. The drafts started on plain parchment until the wording was negotiated and agreed on by everyone. With that done, Harry put quill to parchment and carefully wrote out each letter, taking time to use his best penmanship. 'Or is it quillmanship?' Harry thought to himself. Then he shook his head and refocused on the task. When he was complete, the letter to Lord Greengrass was an example of the standard used on all six, with no difference between those that he was going to pursue betrothals or consort contracts with. The letter read:

 _Greetings Lord Greengrass,_

 _I, Lord Harry James Potter, request a meeting with yourself and your lady at ten o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the ninth of December, 1995. I have made the acquaintance of your daughter Daphne, and she will be in attendance as well. She would like for us to meet at your residence, although you may choose an alternate location if that suits you better. I look forward to meeting with you and enjoying a happy relationship between our houses in the future. If you agree to meet, Daphne will need the form below signed to allow for her absence from school. I assure you that our time outside the wards will be minimal, as we will floo from Hogsmeade, and that I will guard her with my life during our travels._

 _Yours in prosperity,_

 _Lord Harry James Potter_

As each letter was completed, Harry sealed each with the Potter house ring. Combined with the special house crest parchment, each letter would only be able to be opened by the person it was addressed to. Finally, Hermione cast charms on each that made the contents to be house secrets. Once the notes and the oath for McGonagall were complete, the group was able to set aside business and refocus on each other and their favorite activities when they were all able to be together.

By the time the coven left the room late that evening, Harry decided to wait to send letters until the following morning. He then sent Hedwig off with the three betrothal letters. The house parchment would also mean that each recipient would only see the one letter that was intended for them. Harry told Hedwig to take the best route south, stopping at each along the way as long as she needed. Once she was well gone, he used a school owl to send a brief note to Solicitor Higgins telling him that all was agreed as they had discussed previously. As the owl left, Harry felt reassured that everything was well in hand.


	18. Meetings

Chapter 18 – Meetings

Two days later Hedwig returned and Harry gave her a day to rest before sending her with the three consort letters. By that time he had already received acceptance replies from all three of the others, with the Grangers' reply being attached to Hedwig on her return. They also included a brief note to Hermione wondering about the seriousness and formality to the letter. Each reply did include signed permission forms as requested. Tonks of course was the exception, although the letter to her parents brought a different response from Sirius the following day. He had apparently received a note from Andromeda about the meeting and the request for his presence. He stopped Harry after class on Wednesday and sealed the door once they were the only two in the room.

"Alright pup, I got a note from Andi saying something about a meeting she, Ted, and Dora are having with you. She said it sounded very official and thinks you are looking at a betrothal. Care to give your godfather a heads up? Going for older women now? What does Hermione think?"

"Sirius, please wait until Saturday. It will be better when we're all there."

"Harry, come on. I'd understand. She may be my cousin, but damn, she's a metamorph! I'm sure that's fun."

Harry was finishing a long day and really didn't want to argue further, so he decided to throw his godfather for a loop.

"Lord Black, your presence was requested due to the seniority of your house and Nymphadora's tie to House Black. The matter though needs to be first discussed with her father as the head of the Tonks family. I, Lord Harry James Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, must request that you desist in your questioning until our pre-arranged meeting."

As Harry stated this, he rubbed his signets and pulled on their combined house magic just a bit. The magic rolled palpably and Sirius paled a bit. For once Harry had caught him off guard and he took a moment to respond. Harry heard a barely audible curse that was then followed by a formal reply.

"Understood. My apologies Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. I look forward to an eventful meeting."

Sirius then dissolved the privacy charm on the room and Harry relaxed.

"Thanks Sirius. Really, it's only a few days."

With that, Harry left the room and Sirius went to his office and opened his hidden bottle of firewhiskey. He only allowed himself one shot, but figured he deserved it.

The rest of the week continued as normal with Harry kept busy between classes and increased Quidditch practices in preparation for the match against Hufflepuff on Sunday. By Thursday of that week, the responses from the consort contract families had also been received and scheduled for the following weekend, with the permission slips included with each acceptance. With all permission slips in hand, Harry stopped by Professor McGonagall's office after classes on Thursday. He was wearing his House Potter robes when he arrived, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

"Good afternoon Lord Potter. I am assuming by your robes that you are not here to discuss school?"

"No. Before we begin, what I am about to discuss requires the highest security. Do you mind if I cast some additional charms?"

McGonagall gave him a nod and Harry first cast an advanced locking charm on the door before casting two separate charms, to both seal the room and extend privacy wards. His choice of charms only caused his head of house to worry a bit more. Then Harry took the seat she offered and took a breath before beginning.

"Deputy Headmistress McGonagall, I have some requests related to house business. I have the necessary forms, but before I present those I'd like to request an oath from you not to relate what we discuss to others. For what will become obvious reasons, I need to keep some of my business quiet for as long as possible. I am aware that your oaths to the school will supersede this. My hope though is that you will not be questioned directly so that the oaths do not conflict."

"Alright Lord Potter. I am a bit concerned by this, but can I see the oath please? Am I correct in assuming you picked this time while Headmaster Dumbledore is out of the castle to approach me?"

Harry handed the oath across the desk as he responded.

"The headmaster's absence was a not entirely planned, but certainly welcome coincidence. He has shown more interest in myself outside of school than I am entirely comfortable with. I know he believes his intentions are good, but our opinions on the matter vary."

McGonagall scrutinized him for a moment and then looked through the oath. Nothing in it was concerning. Since Lord Potter had already mentioned about conflicts with her oaths to Hogwarts, she was put at ease a bit. His serious and mature manner that he was approaching this with also did a bit to convince her.

"Alright Lord Potter, I'll agree with taking this oath…"

Once McGonagall recited the oath and the familiar flash indicated it had taken, Harry thanked her and then began with what he needed to say.

"The first thing that you need to know is that I have taken control of two extinct houses that were available to me as a descendant more than seven generations removed from their last members."

Harry then focused on his signet and the single ring became three entwined rings with three stones. He placed his hand forward for her to see before continuing.

"I am now properly known as Lord Harry James Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. The appropriate forms have been filed at Gringotts, as well as the Ministry, although the Ministry paperwork was filed with a thirty day privacy seal, beginning at midnight last Saturday."

Harry paused and watched the professor as she absorbed the information. It was obviously a shock, but she recovered quickly.

"Well, that is certainly quite a development. I suppose it explains another reason you were able to pull Gryffindor's sword out of the hat during your second year. I am assuming that by the privacy shields you put up that your house business you wish to discuss is related to your other two houses?"

"Partly. The business of all three of my houses is linked. This coming Saturday I will be meeting with some associates. I have different assistants that I will need at most of the meetings. First, I will be leaving on my own at about ten minutes until the hour for a meeting at ten in the morning. I plan to return by 11:30 at the latest. At that time, I will need to collect Hermione Granger to assist my next meeting at noon. We will return around 2:30 in the afternoon. At ten minutes until three, I will need to leave again with Ginny Weasley and we should return by 4:30. Here are the permissions forms from both the Grangers and the Weasleys."

McGonagall was starting to get an idea what this business may have been about, but held her tongue. This young man may be a student on most days, but now he was the lord of three Ancient houses. Also, she wasn't sure how his first meeting related since he was going alone. She looked over the permissions forms and didn't see any issue with them. While she may have wanted to deny it, she knew that Albus would have indeed questioned and maybe even tried to intrude on these house business trips if he had been aware.

"Alright, these all appear in order. You mentioned that you also have house business the following Saturday the 16th?"

"Yes, on that day I will be leaving at ten minutes before ten in the morning with Daphne Greengrass. We expect to return around 11:30. I will then be accompanied by Susan Bones when we leave at ten minutes until noon, returning no later than two in the afternoon. Finally, I will be leaving for an appointment at three in the afternoon, for which I will be accompanied by Luna Lovegood. Here are the forms for all three."

McGonagall took the additional three forms and quickly verified that all was in order for the three additional witches. In each case, none would be gone more than a couple of hours on a weekend, so these appointments wouldn't cause any issues with their schooling. Still, she puzzled over what might be going on. Five seemed like an odd number, but if she was even partially right it would be astounding. She was definitely understanding the secrecy around this.

"Well Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, I can see no issues with the forms. Each student will be allowed to accompany you to your meetings. Please do exercise caution, especially when you are not within warded locations. I can understand your need for secrecy. I will do my best to avoid any questions that I would need to answer under my school oath. Now, you had previously asked to leave the grounds tomorrow as well on your own. Do you still need to leave then?"

"Yes. I will leave after my last class and don't plan to be too long, a couple of hours at most."

"Understood. I hope that all your business goes well."

"Thank you deputy headmistress. I appreciate your assistance and support."

With that, Harry stood and dissolved the wards on the room. He said goodbye to McGonagall and then stepped out. Once the door was fully closed behind him, he let out a long sigh of relief.

After a busy week, Harry finished classes on Friday and then left the school grounds a bit after three. He floo'd to Diagon from the Broomsticks and then hurried to Gringotts. He was cautious and kept his hand on his wand while he traveled, but encountered no issues except the usual stares. Once he was at the bank, Silverclaw was summoned and his account manager showed him to the conference room that had been reserved. Solicitor Higgins was already waiting and Silverclaw stepped out so that they could discuss business. All six contracts were complete and all were essentially the same. With all looking good, Harry thanked him and found himself leaving after less than a half hour.

Harry was glad that he still had some time since he wanted to stop in at Honeydukes. With the potions that his girlfriends had been taking, they had been a bit out of sorts lately. Harry almost made the mistake of using the word 'moody' one day, but had caught himself. Hermione had tried to explain that it was just hormones. He wasn't sure what to do to help, but had noticed several of them had been favoring sweets. With this in mind, he purchased six 200 gram boxes of assorted chocolates. Each was wrapped in different floral paper with different colored ribbon. With his purchases bagged, he returned to Hogwarts. As soon as he was back on the grounds of Hogwarts, he called for Dobby before he encountered anyone, including any of his girlfriends.

"Hi Dobby. I need you to make some deliveries for me. I'd like you to put one of each of these five boxes of chocolate on Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Susan, and Daphne's beds please. And can you charm them so no one else can touch them?"

"Dobby can do. Ooh, Dobby likes surprising Master Harry's witches!"

The excitable elf popped out and Harry hid Tonks' box in his robes. He would give them to her when he saw her in the morning. With the deliveries arranged, he continued on to the castle. He gathered his books first, hid Tonks' chocolates and then went to the library, where he found three of his girlfriends studying.

Saturday arrived and Harry dressed in his best House Potter robes. He had thought about having his other crests added, but decided to wait until the news was public. He could make his rings visible during the meetings as needed. At a quarter to the hour, he began the walk out to Hogsmeade. As soon as he left the school gates, he saw Tonks was waiting. She was dressed in her formal Auror robes and grinned at him. Looking around and seeing no one, he pulled her in for a quick kiss.

"Ready Harry?"

Harry nodded and Tonks side-along apparated them to her childhood home. It was a typical looking home in a neighborhood of scattered houses on large lots in an area that had a mixture of muggle and magical families. Tonks let go of him and Harry remembered the lessons that Daphne had given on how to comport himself as the lord of three houses. Tonks followed a step behind as he took the path to the front door of the house. He had barely knocked when the door was opened by a man in his late forties wearing dress robes.

"Hello, you must be Lord Potter. Welcome! I am Theodore Tonks, but please call me Ted. Come in."

Harry stepped in with Tonks just behind him. She stopped to hug her father before he led them down a hall and to the right. They entered a dining room where a tea service had been set up and two more people were waiting. Sirius grinned at Harry while Ted stepped forward to introduce his wife.

"Lord Potter, this is my lovely wife Andromeda. And you know Lord Black of course."

Harry took a moment to collect himself, briefly shocked when he saw Andromeda. She looked amazingly like her sister Lady Malfoy. He realized too quickly that his hesitation was noticed.

"My apologies Mrs. Tonks, it's a pleasure to meet you. I was just struck for a moment at how much you resemble Lady Malfoy."

"Yes, unfortunately all three of us sisters look alike. It's a pleasure to meet you as well Lord Potter, please sit. How do you like your tea?"

Once everyone had their tea and a selection of small cakes, Harry looked around the room at each of his hosts and Sirius.

"Before we begin, I have an initial bit of information that you need to know and I need to ask if you would each mind taking an oath to not reveal that information?"

Andromeda seemed a bit shocked, but her husband didn't hesitate as he drew his wand and made a quick oath. Sirius and then Andromeda followed him.

"Thank you all. First, you need to know, that I am not just Lord Potter. I have decided to resurrect two extinct houses linked to my family. I am now Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter."

That information caught Ted Tonks by surprise, while Andromeda continued to scrutinize the young lord who her daughter was sitting quite close to. With the initial secrecy done, Harry continued.

"Mr. Tonks, of my three houses, I am here to offer a betrothal contract with House Peverell for your daughter. I wish to align with House Tonks, and through your wife, with House Black."

Harry placed the contract on the table and Ted took it first, looking over it briefly. He passed it to Sirius, who glanced quickly and then handed it to Andromeda. It was Ted's place to respond though.

"Well, I have to say that this is a bit of a surprise given your age, although since you are lord of three houses, I suppose it is understandable. Dora, I never intended to contract you to anyone. I always wished for your happiness. You know the history of your mother and what we had to do so that she could escape a contract with Lucius Malfoy."

"I understand and appreciate that dad, but I also understand the need for this. Harry and I care about one another. I am in complete agreement on the contract."

Ted nodded and then looked to his wife, who spoke next.

"Well, this contract is quite simple. Much more so than most I've seen. The price you offer is quite high. I am a bit concerned that you have chosen to meet without your solicitor present."

"Mrs. Tonks, I am following the standard set by wizarding society by pursuing this contract. Personally, I was raised with muggles and contracts like this are quite rare in modern England. With the simplicity I've insisted on, I felt we could handle this among ourselves. As for the price, Tonks is more than worth it."

"Yes, that is something else I noticed. Her name will be changing, with her first name going away and with her taking Tonks as her legal name?"

"Mum, that was my request. You know my feeling about my name."

Andromeda scowled a bit and Harry reached to take Tonks' hand.

"Mrs. Tonks, the name change was important to your daughter, so it is important to me. I only want her happy. Lord Black, do you have any questions or concerns about the aligning of a member of one of your junior houses to House Peverell?"

"No, everything is straightforward like Andi said. Of course, Ted has the final say."

"Well, since it is obvious you and my daughter care for one another and this is her desire, I don't see any reason to not accept the contract. I don't see a date for formalizing the union though. Andi?"

"No Ted, I'm fine, although a date would be helpful."

"The date will be decided in the future, most likely no later than next summer."

Ted smiled and reached for a quill. Within seconds the contract was signed, flashed and disappeared. Harry had been prepared for that thanks to Solicitor Higgins. He knew it was now at Gringotts and would be filed shortly.

"Thank you Mr. Tonks. I look forward to getting to know you both better. As I'm sure you're aware, the contract is now at Gringotts. They should have the bridal price transferred to your vault by the end of the day."

With the business complete, Harry squeezed Tonks' hand and turned to look at her. She was grinning and leaned in to give him a quick kiss. They then turned their attention back to their tea and less formal discussions continued. After a few minutes, Andromeda brought up a question that she had been wondering about.

"Dora, what about the other wives? With three houses, your future husband will need two more wives."

"Yes mum. I know them both and we all get along _quite_ well."

Ted noticed the underlying tone in his daughter's statement and suppressed a groan. He may be Tonks' father, but he was well aware of her proclivities. Sirius just smirked and shook his head at his godson. They spent time enjoying their tea and then Harry rose and announced that he had another appointment before long. He said goodbye to everyone and then followed Tonks out. She then apparated them back to the Hogwarts gates. They were a few minutes early and Harry remembered the chocolates that he had forgotten earlier. He called for Dobby and then knelt to whisper in the elf's ear. Dobby then popped out, only to return moments later and hand Harry the box.

"I was so nervous earlier, I forgot this Tonks. A little something just because."

Tonks took the box and then proceeded to start snogging her betrothed. A couple of minutes later, Hermione appeared and laughed when she saw them.

"Hi Tonks. I see you got chocolate as well. Each of us had boxes mysteriously appear on our beds last night. I suspect the help of a certain elf."

Tonks laughed and pulled Hermione into a hug.

"Ready Hermione?"

Hermione nodded and Tonks took hold of both of them as she side-along apparated them to the Grangers' back yard.

"Alright you two, good luck. I'll be back to collect you in a bit over two hours."

As Tonks left, Hermione took Harry's hand and they stepped to the back door. Jean was waiting with Neil just behind her. Hermione let go of Harry as she grabbed her mum and the two women squealed as they embraced.

"Ooh it's good to see the both of you! The whole legal tone of that letter was strange, but I told your father that any chance to see you before waiting for the holiday was worth it."

"Why don't we go inside and talk mum."

The Granger women unblocked the door and Harry stepped in as well. Jean was reaching to hug him when she saw the official looking robes and desisted. Neil also noted the robes and looked Harry over shrewdly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I would like to take care of our formal meeting first. Then perhaps I can set these robes aside and we can enjoy lunch and some time together."

Neil nodded and led everyone to the dining room. Harry was doing some mental calming exercises, fearing this meeting more than any other. At least with magical families they would have an idea of what might be happening from the tone of the letters. Harry expected this meeting was going to be a shock and would not go over as well. Once they all sat, Hermione looked to him to begin. They had discussed how to do this at length and she knew Harry needed to lead, but she also needed to input. They had also discussed making her parents take oaths, but had decided against it. The news on Harry being the lord of three houses would be public in three weeks, with her parents being muggle, they didn't anticipate an issue with their knowing sooner. As agreed, Harry opened the conversation, focusing his gaze on Neil as he rubbed his signets.

"Dr. Granger, I have come here today in a formal capacity as the lord of three houses. You knew of course that I took my title of Lord Potter over the summer. I have now also chosen to resurrect two extinct houses with great history in our world, House Gryffindor and House Peverell. I am now known fully by the title of Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. The order of naming is actually variable, but for simplicity I have chosen alphabetical, also leaving Potter as the last and primary."

Harry placed his hand on the table to show all three signets. Neil and Jean both looked at them and shook their heads. Before each could figure out a reply, Harry continued.

"Now, there are a number of traditions of the magical world that I know you find quite foreign. Being muggle raised, they are also foreign to me, although I am adjusting and trying to maintain tradition with a bit of temperance. Hermione my love, can you please explain a bit of the history that your parents will need to know."

Hermione squeezed his hand and took over seamlessly.

"Mum, dad, Harry is here to discuss a betrothal contract with you. I know the idea is barbaric and outdated, but please remember that is a cultural viewpoint. Even in our modern times in some countries this is not an outdated practice. Normally Harry wouldn't do this, but he is lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, the lord of the Ancient Founder's House of Gryffindor, and lord of the Ancient House of Peverell. Within the magical community, each of those titles denotes a different level of history. For example, an ancient and noble house takes three votes on the Wizengamot to a standard house vote of one. A house that is just ancient like Peverell takes two votes. A founder's house is also three votes. Combined, his three houses have over 2,100 years of traceable history. While he wants to make changes, you don't just toss all that out the window at once. Just the fact that I am here at the table as well is revolutionary. The fact that no solicitor is present is also stunning. The fact that you are meeting him face to face shows that he views your house as allies to his. In the past, contracts between two houses that weren't enemies, but weren't allies were often negotiated over a period of months through third parties. The families often wouldn't meet until the beginning of any festivities for the ceremony joining their houses. So, Harry is already setting aside a lot of history. There is a lot more that you will come to know over the next months and I ask that you keep an open mind. Please just remember above all else that Harry and I are in love. He will never do anything that I don't want."

Hermione finished with a pleading look at her father especially. Neil felt like the room had been turned upside down on him. He could see what she wanted, and he could understand her arguments, but this was still shocking. He had been expecting for Harry to ask for permission to marry Hermione, but not for a betrothal contract of all things. Still, for his daughter's sake he would once again try to keep an open mind. He had been doing so since a strangely dressed older woman had arrived at their house claiming to be a witch and claiming his daughter was one too. Neil had been prepared to toss her out the door when the woman had turned herself into a cat. Nothing since then had been normal for the Grangers. Gathering his courage and with a grit to his teeth, he turned his focus to Harry and gave him a nod to continue.

"Dr. Granger, I have here a formal betrothal contract for your daughter, Hermione Jean Granger. The contract is straightforward. Since you have not seen these before, I will tell you that my solicitor was rather aghast that I didn't require clauses for expected number of offspring, time to produce an heir, or even a timeline in which to formalize our union. The only items included within here are a clause against anyone in your family taking part in criminal enterprises and then a statement of bride price. I don't want you to think that I am buying your daughter, but not including a bride price would be an insult. I would basically be saying that I was taking Hermione off your hands as a favor and that she had no worth. In truth, I am offering a higher price than the average. Of course, I feel her worth can't be measured, but selecting the price I did leaves no doubt to those who would scrutinize such matters. So that you are aware, once the contract is fulfilled it will become public record. That is not something I have a choice on, but it does influence my choice on the price."

Harry handed the contract across the table to Neil, who opened it and leaned so that Jean could view it as well. Harry had been correct that it was quite simple. All of this still seemed wrong, although he was glad that some of the clauses Harry had mentioned weren't included. Then he saw the price offered, 5,000 galleons! A quick calculation caused both of the Grangers to pale. That was a bit over 100,000 pounds. Jean was glad Harry had explained himself, otherwise it would definitely have seemed that Harry was trying to buy their approval. Neil set the parchment down and Jean whispered to her husband, who gave her a nod to speak.

"Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, my husband has given me permission to speak. I noticed that you have been focusing your arguments toward him and I can only assume that it would not be the usual to have the mother in attendance for these talks. I do have some questions though. I see the contract names Hermione as taking the title of Lady Potter, to produce the heirs for House Potter. What of your other houses? Does she need to have at least three sons?"

Hermione had anticipated this question and looked to Harry, who nodded for her to respond.

"Mum, Harry and I thought this would come up and I wanted to respond on this. Under wizarding law, all house lines must remain separate. That means that I will only be able to produce heirs for House Potter. For the other two lines to continue and not go extinct again, each will need their own lady. STOP! Dad, do not explode yet! I am in agreement on this and the ladies for Harry's other houses have been selected. We actually met with the family of the future Lady Peverell this morning and will be meeting with the Weasleys this afternoon regarding the betrothal contract for Ginny to be the future Lady Gryffindor. Harry is offering equal bride prices to all. You need to understand that Harry only pursued resurrecting the two houses at my insistence. If I had wanted to be his only lady, he would have left the houses extinct and the option for resurrecting them would remain open to a future generation."

"Ginny will be Lady Gryffindor? Is that why the three of you were so friendly? Look, I know this is probably not something you want to discuss, or that would ever be discussed in one of these meetings, but I have to ask. Is this a multiple marriage in the full sense? Will you be involved with the other wives?"

"I will not lie to you mum, I already am. I was actually involved with Ginny last year before Harry and I got together. I'll be honest, when we talked before, I said I was unsure of myself and thought I was maybe just experimenting. I can now tell you that I have come to a realization of who I am. I love Harry more than my own life, but Ginny and Tonks are very special and I care about them as well. I'm bisexual and this unique family will allow me to be everything I want to be with no judgment."

"Tonks? So she'll be Lady Peverell? God, was this all being planned over the summer? Isn't she a bit old?"

Harry decided it was time for him to step back in and respond to Neil.

"Yes, Tonks will be my Lady Peverell. Hermione did begin some research over the summer and watched how we got along. Due to my upbringing, I act older than my age. Tonks acts a bit younger. We find that we close the gap well enough and in a few years it won't matter anyway."

Neil stood and paced for a few minutes, then he touched Jean's arm and she nodded and got up to follow him.

"Please give us a few minutes to talk between ourselves."

The elder Grangers left and Hermione moved into Harry's lap. She had known this would be difficult, but now she wondered if they would have to go through with their second plan. In actuality they didn't need her parents approval, but if the coven moved forward and bonded without the Grangers' acknowledgement of Harry's contract, it would drive a wedge between them that may never be fully removed. It was something she was resolved to accept if needed, but she was doing her best to avoid.

A full fifteen minutes passed before the Grangers returned and took their seats. The first thing Neil did was produce a fountain pen and sign the contract. Hermione let out a long shuddering sigh and began to cry with relief. Seeing that, Neil knew that this was the right choice, difficult as it was. When his signature was finished, he slumped back in his seat and let his wife take over.

"Well Hermione, we obviously have accepted this. Seeing your relief I can only guess that you would have probably moved forward even without our permission. I have to wonder though, what else is going on? You've told us a lot, but you've been careful about it. I've also been thinking about the summer and all the different friends that you brought around. Were you testing out wives for Harry? He doesn't have any more houses does he?"

Hermione collected herself as Harry took a tissue and dried her face. They whispered between themselves and then she moved back to her own seat.

"Yes mum, there is more going on, but we cannot tell you unless the secret cannot be extracted from you. Since you don't have magic to bind to an oath, there is a charm that I can cast on both of you. It's complex and requires a small bit of blood. Some would consider it borderline dark, but again it's all about intent. If you would be willing, then we can tell you more. If not, you'll know within a month anyway."

Neil frowned at the idea of blood magic and charms. He wondered what else was being hidden from him, but this seemed a bit extreme. Jean looked green about it as well.

"I don't like that idea Hermione. I guess we will have to wait. I hope you have a good reason at least."

"Yes dad. All I can tell you is that we are making efforts to weaken and eventually defeat Lord Voldemort. This is all part of that effort."

Neil nodded. He had heard enough about Voldemort that he supposed it might be worth it. Supposedly as bad as Hitler, with magic added in. He shivered at the thought. Weakening the bastard would be worth it, but what would it cost his baby girl? Sighing, he rolled up the contract parchment and passed it to Harry.

"Thank you sir. Normally this would have been transferred to Gringotts automatically when a magical signature was noted. Since you are non-magical, I'll have to have it delivered and manually registered. Once that is done, the funds will be transferred to your bank account."

"Will the goblins be able…"

"Yes dad, the goblins work between the two worlds all the time and are much more efficient than human bankers."

"Well then, I guess this finishes our formal business. I've missed the two of you and we've only got you for another hour or so. Let's have lunch."

That sounded good to Harry, who stood and removed his formal robes. Jean already had most of the lunch preparations done and within a few minutes they returned to the table to eat. There was still tension in the air, but that gradually resolved throughout lunch. Hermione spoke the most, with Harry adding his input on occasion. She detailed their studies, as well as their additional training with Sirius. The Grangers had heard about Umbridge a bit, but Harry was able to give them more details.

Before long the time was drawing to a close and then they heard a pop in the backyard, signaling Tonks' arrival. Hermione hugged both her parents, while Harry offered a handshake, which Neil took, but Jean instead hugged him. He then put his formal robe back on and they stepped out to the backyard.

"Hey you two how'd it go?"

"Rough, but done."

Hermione nodded with Harry's statement and Tonks could see that it had indeed been a hard couple of hours. She wrapped her arms around Hermione and then Harry embraced them both. Inside the house, Neil and Jean watched and realized that their daughter was being comforted by two partners. Then the three separated and Tonks apparated them out, leaving the Grangers to spend the rest of the weekend in contemplation of everything.

The three arrived back at Hogwarts and stepped in the gates to find Ginny waiting. The longer time spent at the Grangers meant they were cutting the schedule close. Hermione gave Harry a final kiss while Ginny took his arm and Tonks said goodbye for a few hours, with the usual plan to join everyone at the castle that night.

Harry then straightened his robes and walked with Ginny to the Three Broomsticks, where they then floo'd to the Burrow. After the previous confrontation at the Grangers, the meeting with the Weasleys was blessedly easy. They were shocked at Harry's three titles, but thrilled to find that Ginny was being offered the title of Lady Gryffindor. Upon hearing the bride price, Arthur almost fell out of his chair. Molly checked with her daughter briefly, who assured them that it was what she wanted. That was all Arthur needed to hear and the contract was signed and disappeared. Molly then embraced them both and insisted that they stay for cake and tea. The only point of contention was when Harry practically begged that they keep the contract quiet for one month. Molly obviously didn't like this, but did swear to do so. They enjoyed a half hour talking after and then floo'd back to Hogsmeade and walked back to school together. Harry felt a bit of weight lift knowing that the first half of the contracts was now complete.

The following day was Sunday and capped off a good week when Harry caught the snitch, sealing a monumental victory against Hufflepuff of 390-110. It didn't matter that for once the snitch catch was less than half the points in the game, Gryffindor still celebrated in typical style. Harry knew though that he would have two Hufflepuff girlfriends who he would need to make amends with.

The following week started uneventfully for Harry, except for the looks and smirks from his godfather. Harry knew it could be worse, and would probably be so after the solstice once all the families were told the extent of the coven.

Tonks was due to come on Tuesday, but had to cancel and didn't make it until Thursday. Then she only had a couple of hours before she started an evening surveillance shift. Hermione decided she needed her private Harry time, since the others had more chances than Tonks did. Harry wished he could take her someplace nice, but Dobby did his best and turned the room into a beautiful French restaurant. It didn't matter that Harry was in school robes and Tonks in Auror robes, the atmosphere and food was all splendid. Harry gave her a sweet kiss when he first saw her and then they sat down to their first course, knowing her time was limited.

"So Harry, how bad has Sirius been?"

"Nothing too horrible. One joke during practice yesterday. Plenty of looks and smirks. I was prepared for it. How about your parents? Have they said anything since?"

"No, but I haven't been back to see them. I've been too busy with work. Mum sent an owl complaining about my schedule and I am probably going on Sunday, if my shifts don't change again. Honestly, I really only expect her to try to convince me to keep my name and that's not going to happen."

"So, can you tell me anything about work?"

"Normally I wouldn't be able to, but you asked Amelia directly and she's given me leave to tell you more. As long as I don't go talking to the media. As we all agreed, she doesn't know about my betrothal. My contract with the department says that she has to be notified within thirty days. I think it's better that she doesn't know when you and Susan go to talk to her and even better if we wait until after the solstice. Anyway, by tracking money and lower level crimes, we've gotten some small fish to talk and have brought in some more notable potential Death Eaters. That's gotten us permits for searches which narrows down places where Voldemort is not. Also, many of the old purebloods linked the wards of their different properties. It's not technically allowed, but not prohibited either with the permits, so Amelia has a ward specialist in Auror robes with a junior badge coming in as a second team member. He looks like any other grunt, but he works the wards and has been finding tied properties that we may not have records on. We've already taken a few good caches of supplies from some small 'hunting lodges' and the like. Of course the owners claim anything illegal was left there by someone else and they haven't been to their secondary properties in forever. The big fish she really wants is Malfoy and I think we are close. I told her even if I'm not on shift that I want in on that raid. Amelia says if we manage to get enough evidence for a permit against Lucius, then every able body is getting called in. Overall we're taking nibbles and a couple of medium size bites here and there. Enough to probably annoy Voldemort, but not really hurt his organization."

"Well, it's something at least. More than I feel like I'm doing here. Of course I know we're doing what training we can and the solstice will really be our hour, but it's still difficult playing the good little schoolboy. The fallout during and after the solstice is what has me really concerned, Dumbledore especially."

"Harry, the coven has talked about this. We'll be sealed in the room with Dobby and Winky helping to lock us in. I don't think that even if he could get to us he would be dumb enough to interrupt a ritual."

Harry raised an eyebrow in doubt to that as he sipped his wine and decided to set the worry aside for now and focus on the beautiful witch in front of him. They talked as they worked their way through numerous courses, finishing with a magnificent white chocolate and raspberry torte. Dobby then cleared away everything and left them alone.

"So Harry, I've got forty minutes before I have to leave. Think you can take my mind off work for a bit?"

Harry grinned and stood, taking her hand and pulling her close. They kissed for a few minutes and when they separated, the French restaurant had been replaced with a Parisian boudoir. Clothes were quickly tossed aside and then Tonks pushed Harry down onto a magnificent divan before falling onto him. The next half hour was spent desperately seeking pleasure. Harry enjoyed working each of his witches up to their peak, but now he knew time was limited and Tonks needed him. He came once and thought she came at least twice, perhaps with another small climax in between. By the end of their time, both were panting, sweaty, and quite sated. Tonks let out a small sigh as she disentangled herself from Harry.

"Most days I like my job, but right now I can tell you it's the exact opposite. Anyway, I better straighten myself up."

Harry stood and cast cleaning charms while Tonks located all her clothing. Once she was dressed, he gave her one last kiss and then called Dobby to take her to the school gates. The night with Tonks had been nice, although too short, but he would take what he could get.

Soon Saturday arrived and Harry was once again facing another round of 'meet the parents'. First on the schedule at ten in the morning was a trip to Greengrass Manor. Daphne and Harry were still no more than a passing acquaintanceship as far as most of the castle knew, so Dobby popped them out to the gates separately. Once they were out of sight and before they stepped out of the wards, Harry took her in his arms and gave her a long kiss. She could feel he was nervous and tried to reassure him.

"Confidence Harry. That's the key with my father. He's a decent man, but he is a shrewd businessman, used to taking advantage of any weakness. I know he was disappointed to have two daughters, but he cares for Stori and I more than most pureblood fathers care about their daughters. Remember the history of all three of your houses."

Harry nodded and took her hand as they stepped out of the wards and drew their wands, on guard as they made the short walk to the Three Broomsticks. Once there, Daphne led the way through the floo to Greengrass Manor. The entry hall they arrived in was large, dark and ornate, with heavy, carved wood beams three stories above them and stone walls hung with dark, old tapestries. A house elf was waiting and seemed especially happy to see Daphne.

"Miss Daphne, Rory is so happy to see you! And you have a young man with you!"

"Yes Rory, this is Lord Harry Potter. Is father ready for us?"

"Yes miss. Please come, he is waiting in the office."

The elf quickly led them through a maze of rooms to the back of the manor. The room they stepped into was a two story office and library with one wall of solid glass windows that looked out onto an expanse of lawn. When they entered, a man of about fifty and a woman about ten years younger stood to greet them. The woman was an older version of Daphne and beamed at her daughter. Meanwhile, the man gave his daughter a nod while proceeding to scrutinize Harry. Knowing from Daphne's training that it was Lord Greengrass who needed to initiate introductions in his house, Harry held his gaze for a moment and did not speak. The man seemed to agree with that and offered his hand.

"Welcome Lord Potter. I am Martin Greengrass and this is my wife Cecile, who is here as you requested. Hello my daughter, it is good to see you well and looking happy."

"Hello father, it is also good to see you. The school year has been busy and I have missed you and mother."

With the formalities done, Harry and Daphne took seats across from the Greengrasses at a small conference table. Lord Greengrass gestured gave a small flick of his hand toward Harry to indicate that he was ready for the younger lord to begin.

"Lord Greengrass, I have some news that I need to begin our discussion with. It will become public knowledge in several weeks, but until that time, I would appreciate an oath that you will not reveal the news to anyone else."

Martin Greengrass seemed a bit wary, but then drew his wand, as did his wife. They took quick oaths and Harry thanked them.

"The first news that you need to know is that you are not meeting today with Lord Potter. My full title is Lord Harry James Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter."

For the first time since meeting him, Martin Greengrass looked a bit surprised, but recovered quickly.

"I see. I understand now the need for secrecy. That is indeed monumental news."

"This brings me to the point of this meeting. Over the past few months, Daphne and I have grown to care for each other. When she was attacked it was due to suspicion that she was seeing someone outside of Slytherin house. That rumor was actually correct, the person she has been seeing is myself. I felt quite horrible about the attack and have taken certain measures to help ensure her safety. Thankfully, the headmaster's change in attitude about involving the DMLE has also helped to alleviate some of the pressure. I would still like to keep our status a secret until after the Yule holidays. Nonetheless, I would like to begin to formalize our relationship privately for now. Despite my having three houses, Daphne has expressed the desire for a line continuation contract for House Greengrass instead. After much thought and discussion, I am here to offer you a consort contract to House Potter for your daughter with a line continuation clause. Any sons she bears me will continue the Greengrass name. The only exception being if my Lady Potter bears me no heirs, then Daphne's firstborn son will be the Potter heir, and any sons after the first will be Greengrass heirs. As I have already betrothed a Lady Potter, I don't anticipate this being an issue. Here is the contract…"

Harry handed him the contract and Lord Greengrass began to review it immediately. When Harry saw the man's eyes widen, he assumed that he had reached the monetary clause. He was happy when Lord Greengrass passed the contract to his wife, who looked even more shocked as she read it while her husband replied to Harry.

"I assume since you asked specifically for my wife's presence as well, that you wanted her to read this."

"Yes sir, I personally value a feminine perspective in important decisions. I have several quite brilliant women around me and it would be ignorant of me to ignore the gift of their wisdom."

This brought a smirk from Cecile who shot her daughter a look. Despite Harry's words and the fact that he was including both mother and daughter in the meeting, it was still the men who needed to decide this and Lord Greengrass was the next to speak.

"Why did you select House Potter of your three houses?"

"That was done after discussion with Daphne. Gryffindor didn't seem a good fit since your family has never sorted to that house. Of the other two, we decided on Potter due to the past dealings with our two houses. We may not always agree completely on political decisions, but our families have never been staunchly divided. Both our houses still hold shares in a distillery that was founded by the Potters and one of your ancestral lines. I have not had a chance to taste their vintages, but I'm told they're quite good. Also, Daphne is good friends with the future Lady Potter."

"Hmm, all good points. I can see by the way my daughter is holding onto you what her decision is. I must say your business dealings are quite different, having the women present and also enlisting my daughter's viewpoint. While I may not entirely agree, I don't disagree with my daughter's happiness. I do wonder why the secrecy though? Certainly making the contract public and putting Daphne under House Potter protection will be better than any security measures you or the headmaster have in place?"

"I understand your concern sir, but there are others involved due to the dealings with my other two houses. I can't say more except that the situation is...complicated. I know you just met me, but I have to ask for a bit of trust on this. Currently I have a very loyal elf who is on call 24x7. Daphne is never alone, but always has at least one friend with her as well. She or a friend simply need to call for my elf and he is authorized to assist with force if needed."

"Hmm, I see. Interesting. I hadn't thought of using an elf in such a manner. I suppose their skills do have unique advantages. Daphne, how do you feel about this?"

"Slytherin house is still tense father, but I feel safer than I have in a year or so. Dobby is really an amazing elf. He would do anything for Harry or any of his friends. Tracey is with me most of the time, or Stori. And outside Slytherin I have a lot of other friends. We only have a bit less than three weeks until the holiday. I understand why we need to keep the contract secret for now. Please father."

Martin paused for a moment and looked at his wife. Harry wrapped an arm around Daphne while he let the Greengrasses have a quiet conference, missing the minute nod that signaled Cecile's acceptance.

"Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, House Greengrass accepts your contract to ally with House Potter via a line continuation consort contract for Daphne, a daughter of our house. Your terms are quite fair, thank you."

Martin Greengrass then signed the contract and it was done. Harry suppressed letting out a sigh of relief and then Martin grinned at him.

"Now then, perhaps we should celebrate. I happen to have a twenty two year old Roggenwolf Obstwasser, from the very distillery you mentioned."

"Well, I'll admit to not being very educated, but it sounds intriguing."

The group moved across the office to Martin's desk and glasses were produced all around. The bottle Martin selected was deep red in color, but the liquid that poured out was clear. He served it neat in small glasses and lifted a toast once everyone had a glass.

"To the future of our houses and many little ones to continue our lines!"

Harry nodded to that and watched as Martin sipped his drink, glad that he wouldn't have to take his all in one go. He sipped the drink lightly and it burned for it minute before turning fruity. He gave just a slight cough that caused Lord Greengrass to chuckle. His second sip went better as he began to enjoy the drink. Once it settled, it warmed him pleasantly and had an aftertaste that was like a mix of cherries and some kind of spice. When he finished, Lord Greengrass actually gave him a wry smile.

"Very good my young lord for your first. I think we will get along alright."

Daphne grinned and they sat and talked to her parents for a bit longer before having to leave. It was obvious that Lord Greengrass had other appointments as well. They floo'd back to Hogsmeade and walked back to school arm in arm. Once there, Dobby was called and Harry swapped girlfriends, with Susan being delivered, while Daphne was returned to the castle.

"So Harry, everything go alright with Lord Greengrass?"

"Yes. A bit intimidating, but not as bad as I expected."

"Hmm, by the taste of your kiss, you at least got some celebrating in."

"Yes, one drink, actually from the distillery we both own part of. Not bad, but takes a bit to get used to."

The two reached the Three Broomsticks and floo'd to Bones Manor as Harry prepared for his next meeting, wondering if Amelia would be more difficult than Lord Greengrass. Instead of an elf, Amelia herself was waiting in a good size entry hall made largely of white marble. She stepped forward, embraced Susan first, and then shook Harry's hand as she gave him a strange look.

"Come, I thought we'd meet in the family dining room and then have lunch after."

As Amelia led, Susan gave a brief tour of the downstairs of Bones Manor. It wasn't as large as Potter Manor, but still held a lot of history and Susan was proud of it. The family dining room was part of a sunroom addition on the back and Harry felt immediately comfortable as they sat. Then he looked into the steel gaze of Amelia Bones, who was waiting for Harry to begin.

"Thank you for meeting with me Madam Bones. Before we go forward, I have a bit of information that I need to remain secret for several weeks. By then it will be part of a public filing. Would you mind swearing to keep it a secret?"

"An odd request to start this conversation. I suppose since it's only for a brief time. You should know though that my oaths of office come first. If what I learn violates the law or is detrimental to the Ministry, I cannot keep my secondary oath."

After Harry assured her that wouldn't be a problem, Amelia took the oath.

"Thank you. The first thing you need to know is that I am not Lord Potter, I am Lord Harry James Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. The paperwork to revive my two extinct houses will be public within a couple of weeks."

"I see. Well I definitely don't see that being an issue for my Ministry oaths. I am sure that's not the only reason you are here."

"No. The most important reason for my visit is to let you know that Susan and I have become acquainted more over the last few months and are quite fond of each other. She has confided in me her desire to see the continuation of the Bones line. I am here to offer you a line continuation contract for Susan as consort to House Gryffindor."

Harry handed Amelia the contract and she took only a moment to look it over. Then she dropped it on the table and looked at Harry and then Susan. They had been expecting her to be stunned, but the look she gave them was a strange mix of concern, confusion, and anger.

"Alright, well the contract is straightforward. Barely a contract at all. The price is unbelievable and of course the line continuation clause is something I can promote, but I have other concerns."

At this point Amelia stood and paced for a minute before sitting back down and staring at Susan.

"Susie, out with it, what the bloody hell is really going on?"

"What auntie? I always planned on a consort contract for the line continuation clause. Most times that means accepting someone who will at least tolerate me. With Harry I know I can actually be happy."

"Well, that's what this looks like on paper. One problem, I'm dating a certain Lord Black. He didn't tell me anything outright, but let it slip at dinner the other night that he was visiting his cousin Andi this last weekend. I got curious and he didn't want to say, but he wasn't sworn to secrecy on the meeting itself. So I know Tonks is signed to be the next Lady Peverell. That shocked me, but Sirius was unable to tell me who Lord Peverell was. Obviously he took the same oath I did. The oath only blocked him from talking about Harry's additional titles. Now that I know it's Harry that Tonks is betrothed to, what am I to do…"

Harry started to get angry at the idea that Tonks' job could be in trouble and he responded quickly.

"Tonks has thirty days to inform you. You have no grounds to censure her."

What Harry didn't realize as he spoke was that his magic flared a bit and the fire in his eyes gave Amelia pause. Then Susan put her hand on Harry's arm and he calmed immediately, which was even more eye-opening to her aunt. Amelia watched them for a moment and then shook her head.

"Well you two are obviously quite close. So, you're reviving two houses, plus you have House Potter. That means three ladies. You want Susan as a consort, that's at least four women. Are you building a harem? What is going on?"

Susan knew this was her turn to take over.

"Auntie, I'm sorry you found out this way. Sirius should have known better. Or Harry should have sworn him more. Anyway, we can't tell you more for now. In a couple of weeks we will be able to. All I can say is that if you sign that contract you will not only make me very happy, but you will also strike a large blow against Lord Voldemort. If you do nothing else for me ever again in my life, please sign the contract."

Amelia looked stunned. Susan had never stood up to her like that. And Harry Potter, or Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, was sitting at her side, radiating magic and ready to take on the world for her. Under most circumstances, the contract would be fine, but she hated not knowing what was really going on here. Was that really what her problem was, not knowing? Not being in control? Looking at the two young people, she also had the distinct feeling that they would move ahead with whatever their plans were, even without the contract. About the only way she could stop this would be to lock Susan up, which wasn't an option.

The silence at the table extended for nearly five minutes. During that time, Harry's glare never wavered. After a couple of minutes, Susan's strength left her and she crawled onto Harry's lap. That only reinforced to Amelia how close they really were. Finally she let out a long sigh, reached for the contract, and signed it.

"There, your contract is done. I really hope you are happy Susan. Whatever you are planning, please be careful. If there is anyway the DMLE can help legally, please let me know. I hope you don't mind, but I'm not very hungry. I think I'd prefer to skip lunch."

Susan nodded and stood, with Harry just behind her. She gave her aunt a stiff hug and then led Harry back to the floo. Once they were at the Broomsticks, he led her back to Hogwarts, with Susan in a near daze. He knew she needed some time alone to recover and led her to the far side of the lake once they were through the school gates. Once there, he called for Dobby. The elf was happy to quickly provide a picnic blanket, warming charms, and a basket of food. As Harry tried to offer Susan something to drink, she still didn't seem to be able to focus on lunch.

"I'm sorry Harry. I didn't expect auntie to confront us like that."

"It's not your fault Susie. More Sirius' fault than anyone. Stupid pillow talk."

Susan smiled at that and leaned forward to kiss him. The kiss deepened and she moaned. It was obvious what she needed and Harry was more than happy to oblige as one hand trailed under her skirt while another worked on her shirt tail. Soon Harry had her shirt open and was kissing a breast when he dipped his first finger under her knickers. Susan moaned, begging that she needed him, but Harry knew the plan for keeping three of the witches virgins. Instead, he used his practiced fingers and mouth to pleasure her. Within a few minutes, he had her keening his name and scaring birds out of a tree. Just as she was coming down from her high, he pulled her knickers down and dove under her skirt. While his fingers were good, his tongue and mouth were delightful. She hadn't even recovered from her first climax when he drove her to a second and Susan briefly entered oblivion.

When Susan's sight returned, she was met by the most beautiful emerald eyes, looking at her with concern and love.

"Feeling better Susie?"

"Mmhmm, much, thank you. I am glad that damn solstice is almost here. I want you so bad Harry."

Harry groaned and decided to refocus as he turned his attention back to their food basket. Susan found that now she was relaxed she was feeling quite hungry, and they were able to pay proper attention to the wonderful feast Dobby had provided.

Once lunch was done, they snogged for a few minutes and then Susan went to put her knickers back on, after a drying charm. She would definitely need fresh ones when she got back to the castle. With their time running low, Harry called for Dobby. The elf cleaned up their picnic, took Susan back, and soon reappeared with Luna. Harry took a deep breath and smiled at Luna as they made their way to the last appointment of the day.

Thankfully, Harry's meeting with Xenophilius Lovegood was blessedly simple and short. The man was decidedly odd and very distracted, spending most of the time talking while he packed for his next trip. He did ask Luna what she wanted, and when she gave him her assent, he happily signed the contract. In total, Harry's last parental meeting was his shortest at just over twenty minutes. Xeno didn't even offer refreshments. That was fine by Harry. He was happy to get back to the castle early and finish a couple of assignments before his Saturday night coven time.


	19. Preparations

**Alright, last chapter until the solstice. I know a lot of you are anxious to get there. Almost...**

o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 19 – Preparations

That Saturday night saw all of the coven members gather as usual and the first topic of discussion was of course the contract meetings. While everyone was glad they were complete, the issues with Amelia were concerning, especially for Tonks. She hadn't seen her boss in a day or so and knew that a confrontation was in store. At least she was prepared and figured she would go ahead with the notification of the betrothal. Everyone agreed with Harry that a certain dog needed to keep his mouth shut and would be sworn to greater secrecy in the future.

As dinner progressed, they discussed the plan for the ritual in greater detail. It was now the sixteenth and the solstice was the following Friday, the 22nd. The actual peak would be just after nine in the morning, with Luna having done a precise calculation based on their location in the Highlands. That though was just for the main ritual and there were a number of other details that had Hermione worrying her lip and driving Harry mad.

"Alright, so the main ritual needs to happen as close to 9:19 in the morning as we can manage. That is when we want the peak of the power. Prior to that is the virgin protection ritual. I think we should start that at seven thirty. I want each of the three virgins to have their own special time with Harry. We'll all be there of course, but I don't want this to be rushed. Of course we'll have the preparation beforehand. I think we should all plan on being here at six. That should see us up and well away before any of our dorm mates. Harry is going to call Milly and Winky to come help Dobby. And Dobby of course is securing the supplies we need. Once we meditate, we'll cleanse our outer bodies, then take our sustenance before beginning the drawing of the runes for the virgin rite. I don't know that it matters, but then again, nothing like this has ever been done before, but I think the three virgin consorts should have the blood collected by the lady of their associated house. We're all close, but I think that will bring the houses closer. I can't think of anything else. Anyone?"

A couple of questions were poised, but all were basic and answered quickly. These details had been in the works for months with some of the smartest witches working on them. Harry definitely felt like a follower, but he was quite happy where he was.

Once everything had been discussed as many ways as possible, Harry decided to call for Milly, who had yet to be informed on the plans. The elf responded immediately and was obviously happy to see his lord. The last time that Harry had called on him had been about a month prior to specify the details of readying Potter Manor for the holidays, or so his ladies thought. There was another project the elf had been working with his lord on, but Harry had been careful to only summon Milly to his dorm room for those discussions regarding a surprise for the ladies.

"Master Harry, good evening."

"Good evening Milly. How goes the holiday preparations?"

"All is in order sir. It will be so good to have the manor full once again."

"Excellent. There's actually another reason I called you here Milly. Next week on Friday morning, myself and these ladies are going to be performing a special series of rituals to fight Lord Voldemort. Dobby has been helping to gather everything we need and this room has unique capabilities, but I wanted to ask that you and Winky come and assist Dobby. We mainly need to ensure that we are not disturbed by anyone, most especially the headmaster. We may also need food or other items brought to us. We expect to be in here all day on Friday and will need you and Winky here at six in the morning."

"Of course my lord. I will inform Winky and we will be here when needed."

Harry thanked his head elf and then offered his hand as Milly accepted and took a bit of power for the long distance apparition back to Potter Manor. Then he turned back to the table.

"Alright, so with three elves and this room, hopefully we will stay undisturbed. I am sure that the rituals will pull on the castle's magic, which will be felt, but we should be isolated. Next I guess are the letters. Who has exams that Friday?"

Hermione, Daphne, and Luna all had exams that they would most likely miss on that day. Everyone else was due to finish exams on Thursday. Since no one wanted to give any professors advance warning of their plans, they decided to draw up simple letters that would be elf delivered to each professor just prior to the exams. The letters would explain that the witch in question was indisposed and unable to attend, and would request a chance to take the test at the start of the next term. Professors could of course refuse, but even if they did, it was a small price to pay.

Once those letters were dealt with, the next letters composed were to their families. These needed to be worded carefully. They were written with the assumption that all would go as planned and the coven bond would form. Now, just a week before break, each family still thought their students were coming home to them individually. Instead, letters were written to the Grangers, Weasleys, Xeno Lovegood, Amelia Bones, Tonkses, and Greengrasses, explaining that their daughters had important news that required spending the holidays elsewhere and invited their families to Potter Manor on Christmas Eve, with a plan to stay through the holiday. There were also two additional invitations included to be sent to Sirius and Remus. Once the notes were done, Harry then produced portkeys to include in each. This was something he had read up on recently in the book on his lord duties and was surprisingly easy. With each letter bound, the plan was to send the invitations out on Thursday night with Hedwig making a southerly route once again. Dobby would then deliver Sirius' on Friday morning in the castle, with Remus' attached, knowing that the Marauder had a method to quickly get in touch with his old friend.

With all the letters complete, the business of the evening was done and more than one sigh of relief could be heard. Normally the group would spend their time after dinner loving each other, but they had all agreed to a week of abstinence leading up to the solstice. They were preparing for their purification and also refraining from sweets, alcohol, and processed foods. Even after just one day, a couple of them were already grumpy, but they knew it would be worth it. Instead they all gathered on a large couch to cuddle and talk a bit longer. As the evening ended, all traded chaste kisses before gradually dispersing from the room.

The following day Hermione had plans of her own to complete. They were actually plans for the entire coven, but she was implementing them. It had started several weeks ago when Harry had been meeting with Solicitor Higgins about the contracts. She had received additional permissions from her parents for errands to Diagon Alley. Professor McGonagall had hesitated on letting her travel alone, but when Tonks had offered to escort her, the deputy headmistress was pacified. As Hermione made her way to the school gates to meet Tonks once again, she remembered back to her first clandestine outing.

**flashback**

Hermione left the school in hurry, projecting a sense of focus as she bypassed students in the halls that clearly told everyone to not delay her. She had an appointment scheduled with Silverclaw and only so much time that she was allowed away. Once she reached the gates, Tonks was waiting and gave her a quick hug before apparating them to Diagon Alley. Two more minutes found them at the steps to Gringotts.

"Here you are Hermione. I've got to run into Flourish and Blotts for a bit, but I should be back out here before you are."

"You sure you don't want to come along and consult as well Tonks?"

"Nah, the six of us have discussed this and you know what we want."

Hermione nodded and the two witches separated. As soon as Hermione was in the bank and stated her business, she was escorted promptly back to Silverclaw's office.

"Good afternoon Miss Granger. Or should I say future Lady Potter?"

"Thanks Silverclaw, Hermione is fine."

"Well then Hermione, what can I help you with?"

"I'm here to inquire about commissioning a goblin jeweler. Goblins are the most renowned jewelers and I know you don't accept commissions from just anyone, but I am hoping you may have a craftsman who would help me? As you know, Harry will have three ladies and three consorts. While that may seem like a dream for a lot of wizards, it's not easy. He does wonderful though trying to take care of us all. There is a bit more to our story that I can't tell as well. Anyway, I know from a couple of passing comments that he is getting rings for each of us and I'd like to get him one as well. Perhaps something that symbolizes the unique multiple bond we will have. I've got a bit saved, plus I have draft slips here from each of the others for small amounts from each of our allowance or trust vaults. I am hoping that together we can get Harry something special. Do you know of a craftsman who may be willing to discuss a commission with me?"

Silverclaw gave a near feral grin, suppressing the desire to laugh since a goblin's laugh was actually perceived as quite menacing to humans. It was only days ago that this witch's betrothed had been in his office talking to Goldtoe about something similar.

"Hermione I think I might have a craftsman in mind. Also, you should know that Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter setup allowances for each of you once your betrothal and consort contracts were completed. Each of you have 1,000 galleons available to you each month. Now, if you will excuse me, let me see if I can locate the craftsman I am considering."

Hermione nodded, struck temporarily mute with the knowledge of the allowances that Harry had established. Knowing Harry she shouldn't have been so shocked, but still it was a lot of money. She was still thinking when Silverclaw returned with another very small goblin walking behind him.

"Hermione, this is Senior Craftsman Goldtoe, he has agreed to take on your commission."

"Hello Miss Granger…"

"Please, just Hermione."

"Well then Hermione, why don't you tell me what you are looking for?"

Hermione spent the next twenty minutes working on a design with Goldtoe. In the end the estimated cost was 920 galleons per witch, taking almost all of that month's allowance. Although Silverclaw knew that the others would approve, he would send draft slips to each for final approval to make it official. Hermione had a parting thought that Harry was paying for his own ring, but she knew the thought was what really mattered. What she didn't realize was that Goldtoe was giving her a very fair deal due to the six very expensive rings Harry had already commissioned, even though the stones in his ring would be smaller to fit the more masculine setting. With all the details in place, she thanked both goblins and left to meet back with Tonks. The two witches promptly returned to school and Harry was none the wiser about the outing.

**end flashback**

Now it was several weeks later and Hermione was once again approaching the gates and saw Tonks waiting for her. She looked tired and it was obvious that she had been assigned recent night surveillance. They left as soon as they were outside the wards and were at the steps of Gringotts minutes later.

"Tonks, this shouldn't take long, just a simple pick up. Why don't you come along?"

"Alright, sounds good. I don't have much time. There is an all hands meeting in an hour and a half."

Hermione nodded and stepped to the welcome desk to ask for Silverclaw. A runner was sent as usual, but instead of Silverclaw appearing as usual, another goblin showed instead.

"Hello Miss Granger, Auror Tonks, Silverclaw extends his apologies. He had an emergency meeting and has asked if you can wait in a conference room for a few minutes."

Hermione nodded and followed the young goblin. What she didn't realize was that her arrival was causing a bit of a mad shuffle behind the scenes at Gringotts…

…Approximately twenty minutes before, Harry had arrived to pick up the rings that he had commissioned with Goldtoe. He had no set appointment, but the craftsman had advised that anytime that Sunday morning was fine and Harry was basing his visit around Quidditch practice and also when he could sneak away without any of his girlfriends realizing. He thought they had a suspicion about the rings, but was still trying to keep it a secret. For Goldtoe this was his largest commission of the year and the young lord was exceedingly polite, so he didn't mind working with his schedule. Harry arrived shortly after nine and word was sent to Silverclaw that his client was waiting. While Harry had asked for Senior Craftsman Goldtoe, it was still procedure that his account manager be contacted first. If Harry wasn't a major account holder, he wouldn't have even had access to the off hours side entrance on a Sunday. Anyway, Silverclaw was interested in seeing the product of Goldtoe's hard work and made his office available. Then he went to collect Harry from the small off hours waiting room.

"Good morning Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter…"

"Good morning Account Manager Silverclaw, please, just Harry when we're not conducting formal business. I appreciate you taking your time on Sunday like this."

"Of course Harry. I admit that I am looking forward to seeing what Goldtoe has wrought. Come, he should be in my office by now."

Harry and Silverclaw quickly wound their way through the back corridors of the bank until they reached his office. Once there, they found Senior Craftsman Goldtoe waiting eagerly. Silverclaw's desk had a large roll of dark blue velvet laid out on it in preparation.

"Good day my young lord!"

"Good day Senior Craftsman Goldtoe. I appreciate your rush and finishing my commission."

"Of course. Now come, let's not waste any more time. I know Silverclaw is only slightly less anxious than yourself to see these."

Goldtoe gestured over to the desk and Harry approached and stood on one end as Goldtoe laid out six nearly identical rings. Each were perched upright and all were beautiful to behold. Harry grinned. He knew his ladies would love them.

"Now my lord, as requested, each is fashioned from a rare blend of metals that is a trade secret available only within the goblin nation and only from a select few craftsman. While I could tell you the names of the elements in my language, you would have a hard time understanding them. Humans call the metals platinum, iridium, and osmium. The ratio used is unique, as is the method of bonding and manufacture. It is what gives each ring it's unique brilliant white shine that will not tarnish. It is also superb for holding charms and runes. Each of the rings is fashioned in a vaguely floral spiraling shape and includes the birthstones of each of your six ladies, as well as yourself. The order varies on each with each lady having her birthstone at the top of her ring. For the center of each ring, we had quite the discussion of what to use because of the wide range of stones already used. After our discussion and your viewing a sample of goblin opal, we agreed to use that for the center stone. As I thought, procuring six matching stones wasn't easy, but I used some favors and did manage to find them. These six stones show the ideal, unique characteristics of goblin opal with its dark blue background and striated bands that flash in all colors of the rainbow. As we discussed, these stones have long been valued for their ability at holding strong protection charms. While I can enchant to a degree, due to the rarity of the stones, I had a colleague at Gringotts in Prague do the enchantments on the six center stones. They will all now provide shielding from initial spell blasts. They won't shield from repeated curses or unforgiveables, but the will take lesser hits. In addition, the rings are enchanted with mind magic spells, granting mind shields to the wearer, as well as causing a slight warming should someone nearby tell a blatant lie. Finally, as you requested, I had our local enchanter add a rune that will detect most common potions and poisons. A simple drop of food or drink onto any part of the ring is enough. If the metal turns blue, something has been detected."

Goldtoe paused to let Harry peruse the rings. They were all stunningly gorgeous. Combined with the spellwork and enchanting on them, they were each beyond amazing. They were stunningly expensive at a bit over 14,000 galleons each, but Harry hadn't skimped on the stones. He took the one that was to be Hermione's in hand and twisted it in the light. It had her sapphire birthstone at the top curling down into Daphne's diamond, Susan's amethyst, his ruby birthstone (set as the fourth stone in the middle between the two sets of three), then Ginny's peridot, Tonks' aquamarine and finally Luna's amethyst. In the center was the magnificent opal that incorporated all the colors. The design was perfect, swirling with a definite floral feeling without being a strict flower in shape. Goldtoe truly was a master at his craft. While Harry was examining the ring, a knock sounded at the door and a young goblin was summoned into the office. He came over and whispered to Silverclaw, who then leaned over to whisper to Goldtoe, who had a hard time not laughing at the timing of their guests. Then his attention was drawn back to Harry.

"Senior Craftsman Goldtoe, my distinct thanks for your exemplary work and for the work of the enchanters who assisted. These rings are without measure. Words do not do them justice. I know that we had agreed on a price, but in the world in which I was raised, it is standard for a tip to be offered when someone does an exceptional job. I don't know what is allowed under goblin custom and I don't want to insult, but would it be permissible for me to offer you a personal tip?"

Goldtoe seemed a bit shocked and glanced toward Silverclaw and then back at Harry.

"That is unusual, but it would be allowed and is definitely not an insult."

"Excellent! Silverclaw, can you please see to it that my account is drafted 1,000 galleons to be paid to Goldtoe in thanks for his hard work on such a tight schedule."

For once Silverclaw's stoic facade faltered for a moment before he nodded and reached for the draft slip. Harry signed it and then turned back to Goldtoe, who was wrapping the rings up for him. He then handed them over carefully to Harry.

"Thank you Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. I appreciate the…'tip' and this was a most interesting commission. Please feel free to contact me if you have future needs."

The three left Silverclaw's office, with Goldtoe taking a different corridor. He was on his way to his workshop and then back to the main halls of the bank. Meanwhile, Silverclaw escorted Harry out and then turned around to make his way to the conference room where Hermione was waiting. He wasn't sure how long she had been waiting and was glad to see that someone had offered her tea in the interim.

"Good morning Miss Granger and Auror Tonks. I apologize for the delay. We weren't expecting you until later this morning."

"No worries Silverclaw, I know I'm early. I got a chance to sneak away when Harry wasn't around and decided to take it. I am hoping the ring is done?"

"Oh yes, Goldtoe will be here momentarily…"

The sound of his name seemed to have summoned the craftsman, who stepped in immediately after.

"Good morning Miss Granger. Excellent timing. I finished the ring last night."

Hermione grinned and welcomed the craftsman as Goldtoe set a wooden box in front of her. She could hardly bear to open it as she reached with unsteady hands. Once the box was open, she was speechless. The ring was exactly as they had designed. It was made of the shiny white metal alloy that was a trade secret of the goblins. The band was thick and it was obviously a man's ring, but it wasn't too bulky and the edges were tapered. They hadn't discussed that, but she liked it. It would work on Harry's hand since he wasn't a big man. The center of the ring displayed an inset seven pointed star with each of the points having a small gemstone, each representing the different members of the coven, with Harry's ruby at the top of the star. The center of the star was the magnificent goblin opal they had decided on. She had never heard of the stone before, but it was amazing. Completely different than any opals she had ever seen before.

"It's perfect Goldtoe. An amazing work of art. It symbolizes all of us without being too fussy or feminine for Harry."

Tonks let out a low whistle in agreement with Hermione.

"I'm glad you like it. Now, his lords' signets include charms against mind attacks, but some additional enchantments have been added to this ring. The opal holds a shield spell that should repel an initial offense of anything except an unforgiveable. It won't hold up to repeated attacks though. Also, there is a rune enchantment to detect most poisons and potions. Just touch a bit of food or drink to the metal, if it turns blue, something is detected."

Hermione was so thrilled. She had asked if the enchantments were possible, but hadn't dreamed they could be. It was a relief to have every little bit of protection for Harry.

"Thank you so much Goldtoe! It means a lot to know that my Harry we will be protected. If I didn't know that it would be a huge breach of protocol, I'd be tempted to hug you."

The craftsman laughed. This lord and his ladies would certainly be ones to watch in the coming years. Silverclaw seemed to know that now was the time to take over again.

"Well then, is there anything else we can help you with today Miss Granger?"

Hermione replied with a negative and carefully tucked the ring box away before saying polite goodbyes and then she and Tonks followed Silverclaw out of the conference room and back to the side after hours entrance.

The rest of Sunday was then spent studying, with exams due at the end of the week. The castle also started to sport it's holiday decorations so that, despite the stress of exams, the festive air lifted everyone's mood. While Hermione felt the usual stress of revision, for once she had something else that overrode exams in importance as she and the other coven members focused on the upcoming rituals at the end of the week.

All thoughts of revision and rituals were set aside when Tonks appeared on Tuesday afternoon with the excuse that it was the only time she could accommodate their weekly Occlumency studies. The fact that she arrived mid-afternoon never happened though and everyone knew something was going on. Thankfully everyone was done with classes except the fourth years. Ginny and Luna opted to skip Herbology knowing that Tonks must have a reason. Tonks arrived first at the library and from there Hermione and Daphne spread out to gather the others and take them to the room. Once everyone was gathered, Tonks didn't waste time.

"Hi everyone, sorry for the unexpected visit. I've got news from the department. We think we've narrowed down Voldie's lair. Malfoy's place was always high on the suspect list, but after the department and Gringotts teamed up on tracing the money on some dealings from the low level scum we arrested, they knew it was getting too close to Uncle Lucy. The evidence against him was fairly thin, but was enough for a search permit of the manor. As I said, we planned all hands if we managed to get that permit and it was worth it. Mad-Eye's eye found some caches of nasty stuff that will keep the solicitors busy trying to talk Lucy out of Azkaban for the next several months. Even more interesting was the main dining room which looked to have been repurposed into a conference room and office with stacks of parchment and desks in corners. Also, there were several spare bedrooms that had been converted to look like barracks. Another bedroom resembled a throne room and get this, it had a discarded snake skin on the fireplace hearth. Looks like everyone cleared out in a hurry. The Malfoys stayed behind though. Draco for one couldn't leave due to the house arrest collar he is wearing, but there were a lot of others who were staying there. Personal items were left behind and such. Along with Lucy and Cissy, a half dozen others were there and brought in for questioning. We got lucky with Scion Rowle. Arrogant young prick fired on us. Nothing unforgiveable, but still nasty. Combined with being marked, the rules allowed us to question him with veritaserum immediately. The others came quietly so we have to allow them a chance before the Wizengamot first."

"Anyway, Scion Rowle didn't know much, but he does have ears and he heard where everyone was heading off to. He and the others were left behind to try to clean up before we got there, but we were too quick. Seems the Yaxleys have an ancestral property from one of their extinct lines that originated up in the Orkneys. All the kid knew was that it was called 'The Tower' and it was located on the Bay of the Tongue near the Land of the Murrays. Well, a check of the information actually found a non-magical post address in an area of the islands called Murra. Checking maps of the area found a nearby bay called the Bay of the Tongue. Those islands are a strange mix up there. Even the muggles believe and magic is not a secret to most. A lot of history and the old earth based magics are still worked regularly from what I've heard. Anyway, we think we've got Voldie's new base pinned down. He still has quite a few followers, but with the pressure he's been getting lately from the Ministry his recruitment has been limited. Amelia is sending scouts up to look around, but at most we think he has fifty to sixty with him. Of course, at a warded and remote location that is enough. She's talking to the muggle government as well. Not sure what those talks are about, but any help will be useful. At least it's keeping her from questioning me too much. I gave her my official notice about the betrothal after you told me what happened. She wasn't happy, but she has bigger things to deal with."

Everyone took a minute to absorb what Tonks had told them. It sounded like Voldemort was definitely being driven to ground. The Orkneys were a lot more remote than Malfoy Manor. More than one person wondered about if this would be an advantage after the ritual. It was Daphne who spoke up about it.

"So, we know Voldemort is more isolated with just a select, if good size group of followers in a remote location. We have our plan to destroy his horcruxes and weaken him during the solstice. From the research, there should be a period of time after the ritual when his body is in shock from the feedback. Should we try to attack then? How long would we have? How would our strength be?"

"I like the idea, but what we're doing has never been attempted before in this way. There is no way to really know. We may be severely impacted and have to rely on the elves to care for us for a while. Voldemort may not even feel anything."

"Actually, I think that's unlikely. Having multiple pieces of your soul destroyed will be noticed. The question is how much?"

"I think a lot of it will depend on our plan to push our pleasure through the link Harry has. Of course, once the horcrux in his scar is gone, the link is diminished, but I think some of the link will still be there. And Voldemort can't tolerate love or pleasure of any kind. If we can weaken him at all for the Aurors it may be worth it."

"What about if we were closer? After the main ritual, if we are feeling well enough, what if we set up camp near where he is and do a second ritual to push our pleasure at him while the Aurors attack?"

"It would be good to have a non-magical bomb or two as well. Hit them with everything."

"Well, even if we were contemplating this, it means planning, and that means bringing Amelia in on this sooner than we planned."

The ideas had been going around the group at a rapid pace, but now everyone looked at Tonks. As an Auror and coven member, she was in a unique dual position. She had already requested a three day weekend off and had yet to receive the approval for it. She was prepared to turn in her badge if necessary. They were now within days of the solstice. Was it time to bring Amelia in on the plan? The problem was that she wasn't just the head of the DMLE, she was Susan's aunt and guardian.

"All of these are good ideas, but I propose that we need to wait for the scouts to return from the islands. If it looks like that is where Voldemort and crew are, then maybe it's time to bring others in on the plan. We have our plan for the horcruxes, but ultimately we need to kill Voldemort too and we need help for that. Susie, what do you think? You're impacted the most here since this is your aunt. I know Amelia is a professional, but separating her feelings with this will be hard."

"I know, but she will have to accept it. We are going ahead with the coven whether or not she wants to help with Voldemort after. She has already signed my consort contract. I agree though, let's make sure that the scouts confirm the information from the Orkneys. How long do you think?"

"A few hours at most. Amelia isn't dawdling on this."

"Alright, so we should know by tomorrow then? Everyone in agreement?"

The group all agreed and finished with a group hug that was somber, but united. The time was drawing to a close and crucial decisions would need to be made soon. With that decided, everyone slowly dispersed.

When Tonks arrived in the office the following morning, the place was already buzzing. Williamson was the first person she caught and he confirmed the scout had found the 'tower', which was actually a small keep. After watching for several hours, it appeared that Voldemort's new base had been located. While the scout was watching, the place was busy being fortified and warded. Once she heard, Tonks went to a department floo to call Sirius' office.

"Mornin' Tonks. Bit early."

"Yes Sirius. I'll explain later. I need to talk to Harry. Can you get him to your floo in fifteen. I'll call back then."

Tonks disconnected without another word, leaving a slightly peeved Sirius Black yawning as he went to locate his godson. He found him in the Gryffindor common room and had him back in the office just as Tonks floo'd back.

"Good morning darling. Sorry for the early call. Got word when I arrived. The scout says all is positive. We need that meeting. How do schedules look?"

"Wow, alright. Let me think. Exams start today. I think only the fourth years have anything after lunch and that's not until three. What about lunchtime in the room? Us, Amelia, whoever she wants to bring, probably Sirius since he's standing here wanting to know what the hell is up."

"That works. I'll confirm with Amelia, but I'll tell her to make it work."

That perked Sirius. Tonks wasn't even a senior Auror yet and she was going to command her boss to make an appointment work? What the bloody hell was going on?

"Okay, see you at lunch, thanks love."

Tonks left the floo and Harry turned to Sirius.

"I know you have a lot of questions. They'll be answered later. Bring your stash of firewhiskey, you might need it. I've told you about the Room of Requirement. It's across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy on the seventh floor. I've got a bit to do now. I'll see you at lunch."

Harry left, leaving a bewildered godfather in his wake.

While Harry was arranging things at Hogwarts, Tonks had separated from the floo and turned toward Amelia's office. She knocked and was called in immediately.

"Good morning Tonks. What can I do for you?"

"First, can you put up level 1 security on the office please."

Amelia raised an eyebrow, but did as asked.

"Thanks. I know you've been wondering some of what is going on with Susan, Harry, myself, and how it relates to Voldemort. Well, we need to tell you now. You've given me approval to pass on general information from the department about Voldemort and with his recent confirmed move, we think we can use it against him. For that though, you need to know the initial plan that has been in the works for months. It's due to start on the solstice, so we don't have much time. I've arranged a meeting at lunch today with Harry, all his ladies, and Sirius to tell you everything and plan how to finish Voldemort."

For once Amelia was stunned silent as she took a moment to contemplate that before she replied.

"Alright, I don't suppose I have much choice. I didn't have lunch plans anyway. This better be bloody good. How many ladies are there total anyway? Who do you think we need to involve from our side?"

"Harry will have a lady and a consort for each of his three houses. For the final assault on Voldemort and his followers, we are hoping to weaken him sufficiently so a large Auror force can take him. Having ward breakers would be helpful. Hermione mentioned muggle bombs or grenades might also help if we could get non magical help."

"Six? Damn. Alright. I'll take that under advisement and try to prepare myself for this lunch."

"Thanks boss. Really, this will be worth it and hopefully by the end of the week we'll have the bastard taken care of."

Amelia sighed, nodded and dissolved the privacy wards. Tonks returned to her desk to review the statements from a few witnesses. Her mind was only half on it as she watched the clock, planning on returning to Hogwarts earlier than Amelia so that she and the coven could meet and talk before the meeting. At a quarter past eleven she slipped out of the office and made her way back to Hogwarts. By 11:30, all of the coven members were at the room. Dobby was there as well, talking to Susan and Daphne about lunch details. Once the elf left, Harry locked the room and opened his arms as he welcomed everyone into a group hug. They all stood in a group embrace for a few minutes, enjoying the chance to calm and center themselves after a morning of exams that were actually the less stressful aspect of life at the moment. Harry was most concerned for Susan as he kissed her forehead.

"Are we ready for this? Susie are you alright?"

"I will be Harry. This won't be easy, but I knew a moment of reckoning was coming. It's just a week or so sooner than planned. If it means being done with Voldemort, then it's worth it."

"Alright, well I have something I was going to wait to do until the eve of the solstice, but I think now is a good time. Can you all please take a seat?"

All the witches looked at Harry and then went to take a seat on the long sofa that had appeared. Once they were seated, Harry took a long box that looked like a wand box out of his pocket and looked in it before stepping over in front of Hermione. He offered her his hand and she took it, standing up to face him.

"Hermione, I have told you how I feel about you and you are betrothed to be my Lady Potter. This was the role I always wanted you in. Since we started dating you have offered me the unbelievable gift of opening our family to these other amazing witches. We have now formed a coven and I wanted a unique symbol of the bond we all share. You will one day wear the House Potter signet, but I would like you to wear this ring as a sign of our coven family. It includes stones for each member, as well as enchantments for your protection."

Hermione looked at the beautiful ring and suddenly realized how sneaky the goblins were. The ring featured the same stones that she had decided on for Harry's ring, although the ones in her ring were noticeably larger. The setting was beautiful, feminine, and unique. As Harry slipped it on her finger it sized to her and she felt the unique magic imbued in the ring. She and Harry traded a long kiss and then she sat as Harry moved on to Daphne as consort to House Potter. In turn he gave each of the six witches their rings, leaving all six gobsmacked. They had a suspicion that he might be getting them something, but nothing this grand and personal. It was almost noon when Luna received her ring and Hermione called for Dobby. A quick whisper in his ear saw the elf fetching the ring box that contained Harry's ring. She hadn't planned on giving it to him now, but he was right that wearing their rings during this meeting would help. When Dobby brought the ring box back, all the witches stood and circled Harry as Hermione took the lead.

"Well Harry, we had an idea that you might be getting us something, although I never dreamed of anything this elaborate. We wanted something special for you as well and the goblins were quite accommodating, especially a senior craftsman by the name of Goldtoe. I don't suppose you know him?"

Harry chuckled and shook his head as all the ladies laughed and Hermione continued.

"Yes, well it seems the goblins pulled quite the prank on us. Goldtoe obviously already had some information when he helped me design this, although the six of us had discussed it beforehand. I will say that the allowance you gave us was what paid for it, but I know you don't care about that. This ring is a symbol of our unique family and bond. It includes the same enchantments and I hope you like it."

Hermione opened the box and took the ring out. Harry took the ring and marveled at it. While the ladies' rings were quite feminine, this ring was a perfect masculine counterpoint. Hermione slid it on and the ring sized down. The bulk of the ring was perfect on his hand. All the witches put their hands forward by his and all the rings together were amazing. Everyone began trading kisses around the circle and were about to get out of hand when Dobby popped back in.

"My apologies Master Harry. Professor Black and others are waiting outside."

Harry sighed and nodded. It was time for reckoning and planning. He focused for a minute and the room changed to offer a comfortable conference room that would also work for lunch in a while. Then he stepped over to open the door. Sirius, Amelia, and surprisingly, Bill Weasley were all waiting. Harry gestured them in when Dobby arrived back at the door.

"Master Harry. Headmaster Whiskers is rushing this way."

"Thank you Dobby. This is not his concern. I am going to lock the door. Please see we are not interrupted."

As soon as everyone was in the room, Harry gave the room commands to seal against all intrusion, including patronus. He wasn't sure if he could block Fawkes, but then he had an idea and called Dobby back.

"Dobby, I am worried about Dumbledore forcing himself on us and I am afraid he may use his phoenix. While he is out of his office, can you go there and ask Fawkes to please not intrude?"

"Dobby has good news for Master Harry! Fawkes burned two days ago and will not be able to help meddling headmaster for many days yet."

"Brilliant, thanks Dobby. You can bring drinks now, but let's wait on the food."

Harry then turned back to the three guests and asked them to take seats. Drinks appeared on the table and Harry happily took a cold butterbeer. He was a bit surprised to see Bill and Amelia could see the question he had forming.

"Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, Mister William Weasley is here as a private consultant on loan from Gringotts in the capacity of ward breaker. We believe his skills may soon come in handy."

"I see, well that makes sense. I am a bit concerned for a personal nature, but we'll get to that shortly. First, I must ask for oaths of secrecy from the three of you regarding what we need to tell you. I realize that you each have standing oaths to either the Ministry, Hogwarts, or Gringotts that cannot be violated, but nothing you hear here should present a conflict with those oaths. In fact, everything we discuss will become wider knowledge within the week most likely."

Bill shrugged. He wasn't sure what was going on here, but if it meant the downfall of Voldemort then he was all for it. He already knew his sister was betrothed to be the next Lady Gryffindor. He also noticed each of the ladies and Harry wore expensive goblin rings. Obviously there was something quite important going on here that he needed to know. He raised his wand and gave an oath of secrecy. Sirius was not far behind him. Amelia lagged just a bit further and the frustration showed in her voice. She felt on edge and out of control and she didn't like it, but Harry had always dealt fairly with her. With the oaths complete, Harry nodded and began.

"Thank you. We have quite a lot that you need to know. Some of it will be difficult. I ask only that you reserve judgment. Remember that many of our current problems are based on superstition and tradition that is passed off as law. As you know, I started dating Hermione at the end of the Tri-Wizard tournament. For many this was not a surprise, as we were expected to get together for some time. Also at the end of the tournament, I had a meeting with Headmaster Dumbledore. He had been withholding a great deal of information from me for a long time. I insisted he finally tell me everything. He was hesitant on some points, but finally gave in. The first thing he told me were the details of a prophecy that was made shortly before I was born. The prophecy gave several identifying characteristics and it could have been myself or Neville Longbottom, but when Voldemort attacked my parents, he marked me in more ways than one. The prophecy also says that I have to be the one to defeat the Dark Lord supposedly. Now this all depends on how much stock you put in such things. Dumbledore has been preparing me my entire life for my destiny to face down Voldemort, although he had been hoping I would have a couple of more years. In the meantime he felt that controlling my environment, upbringing, and schooling were essential to mold me as he felt necessary. I have issues with this, but I've resolved to deal with him after the Dark Lord is gone. The second bit of information that I found out was even harder to wring out of him. Apparently the way Voldemort survived was via a piece of dark magic called a horcrux…"

Anything further that Harry was going to say was interrupted by Bill exploding out of his chair and shouting in the goblin language. He immediately looked abashed and regained his seat.

"My apologies Lord Gryffindor-Peve…"

"Please Bill, just Harry while we're in informal settings. The rest is a mouthful."

"Thanks Harry. I want to apologize for my outburst. The item you mentioned is known to me through my employers. It is the most despised of dark items to the Goblin Nation. Before you go further, I need to advise that my oath to Gringotts requires that I advise Director Ragnok and the Council about any information pertaining to these foul constructs. That oath supersedes any others. If you do not wish them to know more, I will need to leave."

Harry paused and leaned to talk to several of his ladies, including Ginny, who swore to her brother's character.

"It's alright Bill, you can stay. As long as the information doesn't go beyond the Director and Council. And if they need, I will talk to them directly. Anyway, as I was saying, Dumbledore informed me that he had researched a good deal into Tom Riddle's background and had a theory that he had used horcruxes to bind his soul to this world. His theory was proven during my second year after the Chamber of Secrets. When he saw the destroyed diary, he knew it was a horcrux. He believes though that Voldemort may have made as many as seven. There was one last piece of information that he was most loathe to tell me, but finally did. I have known since I was young that my scar is not normal. It has resisted all methods of mundane and magical healing. It hurts when Voldemort is near and when I have nightmares linked to him. It seems to be linked to him. Dumbledore believes that Voldemort intended to create a horcrux on the night of my parents' deaths, but was thwarted when my mother shielded me and his spell backfired. His soul still splintered, but was not able to lodge where it was supposed to. Instead it found the closest living subject, myself. It is most likely my scar is a horcrux."

That damning information quieted the room. Even though his girlfriends knew of course, it was still difficult to hear it again and few sought comfort from each other. Sirius and Amelia lost all sense of professionalism as they clung to each other. Bill slumped in his chair, aghast as he tried to think of what he would tell his superiors. Harry allowed the news to settle and then continued.

"Obviously this is the most upsetting information and when Hermione found out, she immediately began to research a solution. The only known methods for removing a horcrux are a couple of powerful magical venoms or fiendfyre, none of which I want near my head. While Hermione researched, she and I also began Occlumency studies. This was also necessary to hopefully block some of my connection to Voldemort. Dumbledore also insisted that if our shields weren't sufficient by the beginning of the new school year, he would have to obliviate the knowledge he had given me for my own safety."

"WHAT?"

Amelia wasn't happy with Albus Dumbledore before, but now she was further incensed that he had even considered obliviating students for any reason.

"I know, like I said, we're not happy with him. I will deal with him after Voldemort though. I actually expect he will be interrogating me about this meeting after we are done. He doesn't like not knowing what is going on in his castle. Anyway, moving along…"

Amelia and Sirius both bristled at the reference to this being Dumbledore's castle, but let Harry continue.

"One concession we did get from Dumbledore was in regards to my summer residence. Hermione argued with him that the blood wards at my relatives house would have been negated when Voldemort took my blood during his resurrection ritual. Her parents agreed to let me come to their house for the summer and Dumbledore finally agreed. Despite all the bad news, my summer started great. I was busy studying, exercising, and training, but I wasn't doing chores all day and I was getting regular meals. I was even able to watch the telly and go swimming with my girlfriend. It was my best summer yet."

Numerous people around the room scowled at that. Dumbledore and the Dursleys all had a lot to answer for, but that was for later.

"While Hermione and I were busy with studying and training, she was busy researching what to do about the horcruxes. Dumbledore loaned her some books, plus she borrowed some from the Black library. She soon focused on an ancient branch of magic that hasn't been used in hundreds of years, coven based sex magic. Horcruxes are essentially dark, hate filled objects. Sex rituals are the opposite. I can see you aren't happy with the idea, but Hermione researched a lot on this and she is the best researcher in the school. She can tell you more now."

Hermione squeezed his hand and took over.

"I can see you're shocked, probably because of the superstitions around covens. That's all they are though, superstitions. There are no laws against them. As I read the histories of different covens, I found the only reasons they were ever opposed was because they became too powerful. Specifically, because they were led by women. In every case when there was a campaign against covens, it was old pureblood wizards who were threatened by the power that the covens offered witches. I have plenty of reference materials I can provide. Sex magic dates back as far as recorded history. Couple based sex magic has it's uses, but once you add more individuals, the power increases exponentially. Triad sex magic has unique uses and it moves on from there. I looked at different arithmetic equations and decided that if this was going to be a solution, then the number seven was the most powerful. All of this was still theory at one point. Then I had to ask myself if I could really do this? If I formed a powerful enough coven to do this, there was a likelihood that we would form a coven bond and be linked for life. I love Harry more than my own life. Could I always share him? I struggled with that question for a couple of weeks. I eventually decided to try with one other person as a bit of an experiment and it worked well. That person was Ginny and I'll be truthful, Ginny and I had been involved before Harry and I had been, so I think it helped. Gradually through the summer we had social gatherings with lots of friends and I watched how Harry interacted with different people and made decisions of who I thought would fit. Each person was added gradually and honestly each person was an easy fit. Tonks was the last and I thought would be more difficult due to her age, but actually wasn't. Once I brought this idea to Harry over the summer, he thought about it as well and decided to resurrect his other two houses. The fact that three of those that were chosen wanted line continuation contracts made everything fit. It may seem odd, but this has been something that has been worked on over the last six months."

Hermione paused and looked around at the other coven members. They all had hands linked in solidarity. Bill scrubbed his face. He never imagined his baby sister would be involved in a coven of all things. Across the table, Amelia had the legal ramifications spinning in her head. Although apparently there were none according to Hermione, and she trusted Hermione to know. She looked at Sirius and he looked lost, so she felt she should take the reins for a moment.

"Alright, I guess I'll accept this for the moment. You decided to form a seven part coven for the sake of destroying the horcruxes. How is that going to work? Why tell us now? What is the plan?"

"The problem with the horcruxes is finding them all, not just destroying them. Then there's the one in Harry. Horcruxes were never meant to be put in people. We are telling you now because the solstice is this Friday and we plan on performing two rituals on the morning of the solstice. The first ritual will be a preparation ritual to provide a shield for Harry. We will be using the horcrux in his scar to link to all the other horcruxes, find them, and destroy them, then destroy his last via a feedback loop. Of course this presents a risk to him. We are going to use protection runes on him drawn in the blood of three virgins. Three of us are still virgins. Just barely after great effort over the last months. Early on Friday morning each will be ritually deflowered and the blood collected for the runes. Having three is a powerful number that we theorize will give additional protection. Then at the height of the solstice, we will begin the sex rite feedback loop that should allow all the surviving horcruxes to be destroyed. This will require all individuals to participate, which will require a good bit of time of course. The height starts at 9:19 am local time. We theorize that this will also injure the primary soul piece within Voldemort's resurrected body. That is why we called you here today. Since you know where his new base is, it would be good to strike him while he is hurting."

Amelia stared at Hermione in disbelief and then looked at her niece in disbelief. She couldn't believe she was considering this. These teenagers were talking about a magical orgy coordinated with an Auror strike to take down a Dark Lord. It was madness. Then again, war often was. Susan seemed to read her thoughts.

"Auntie, I know there is a lot of this you don't like, but what you should know is that I am happy. All of this is necessary to take down Voldemort, which is great, but I am in love, with all my partners. I am still technically a virgin and I am looking forward to losing my virginity to the most wonderful wizard on Friday. Yes, it will be part of a magical rite, but knowing that my brief pain will provide some of the protection he needs makes me happy. I am looking forward to my future in this large family. I think our coven will be able to show the magical community what covens can do and can be and can do away with the stigma that has been placed on them."

Amelia sighed and reached across the table to take Susan's hand. She squeezed it and nodded.

"Alright, I admit I'm still not completely comfortable with this, but I can see the possibility of this being our chance to take down Voldemort. So, you will start destroying horcruxes sometime after nine. They won't be done until when, eleven at least? If we have an attack force waiting, how will we know you are done?"

"Our plan is to have three elves on standby for anything we need here in the room. We will be using the ley lines the castle is sitting on and keeping ourselves sealed in this room. Dumbledore will probably feel the magic and won't be happy, but too bad. We don't know how we will be feeling after, but the elves will be available to wait on us. We can send Dobby to you with word when we know the horcruxes are down. Hopefully we may also be able to feel if Voldemort is in distress."

"That will work. I've met him today, so he'll be able to find me."

"Also, Dobby is tied to Harry's magic, so he's a very strong elf."

"I guess the next thing I need to do is approve your leave then Tonks. I had been concerned about it, but I know why now. Dumbledore worries me. Maybe I can ask him to be in the attack force. Give him a chance for redemption. Tell him I'm not happy with some of what he's done, but want him to help take Voldemort's base. I won't offer until early Friday morning. You can't deny he's a strong wizard. We could use his wand."

"That's fine. Having him out of the castle would be a help if you could manage it."

"Well, I'm in. I'm sure when I report to Director Ragnok and the Council about this that they will approve my services to take down the wards. I'm going to ask for two juniors to join me to lend their power. I want those wards to come down fast. They just started to put them up recently, so that helps."

"I'll be with you of course Amelia. I was a hit wizard once and I have no exams to give late on Friday."

"I have one other resource that may help. A squib with some muggle weapons. I'll need to hurry on that when I get back today."

"Well then, it sounds like we have a plan. Thank you for accepting us Amelia. Oh, by the way, here are letters for you and Sirius. We were going to send them on Thursday to all the families. We're inviting everyone to Potter Manor for the holidays so that we can explain the coven and all be together. I hope everyone takes it as well as you did."

"I don't know if I'm taking it well. I am law enforcement though and I've had to clean up the bodies that Voldemort has left behind. I may not be completely comfortable with a coven yet, but if it means getting rid of Voldemort and if Susan is happy, then I'll learn to accept it. You'll have more explaining to do with the others."

Harry sighed and nodded. Then Dobby appeared and began serving lunch as everyone focused on food for a few minutes and the room grew quiet.


	20. The Solstice

Chapter 20 – The Solstice

The next couple of days were busy for the coven members. All had end of term exams pending. After much discussion about missing exams, they had decided to try to take exams early and approach each professor separately for those exams that fell on Friday. For the fourth years who had DADA exams with Sirius this was easy. For the others, Sirius ran interference with their other professors. There was curiosity of course as to why any student would want to take an exam early, but each of them was prepared and Professor Black was supportive and ensured there were good reasons, so Professors McGonagall, Sprout, and Babbling agreed.

While the professors were supportive, the headmaster was another matter. He had been quite incensed that a meeting had taken place in 'his' castle and he had been locked out. When Amelia had rebuffed him, he had simply waited and tried to harass the different students later. Sirius finally had enough and confronted him the following day. Harry and the ladies had enough on their minds without the meddlesome old man adding unneeded stress. Sirius caught the headmaster after breakfast.

"Albus, a few words if you don't mind."

"Of course my good man. What can I do for you?"

Sirius suppressed a growl at Dumbledore's forced joviality as they stepped into the anteroom behind the Great Hall.

"Albus, I know Amelia talked to you after our lunch meeting yesterday and asked you to leave the matter alone. Since then I have heard you repeatedly questioning different attendees, my godson included. Truthfully, you've been right forceful about it and I don't like it. This is exams week and none of the students needs more stress. As Lord Black, I must ask that you desist."

"Professor Black, really, it is my duty to know what occurs with my students."

"Yes, when they are your students. The meeting that occurred yesterday was house business. As your house is a lesser house and neither aligned with houses Black or Potter, you hold no jurisdiction. Please do not make this matter official. I am a professor most of the time, but right now I am Lord Black."

Albus lost his twinkle and tried not to scowl as Sirius stared him down. When he took that stance, there was nothing that could be done. Within the school charter, there were broad allowances for lords to conduct their house business while at school. He gave Sirius a curt nod and left the room. Sirius sighed and shook his head as he hurried off to his first class.

While rumors of the meeting with the head of the DMLE floated around the school, what intrigued the students more were the rings that seven of their number now sported. The rings that the six witches wore especially drew notice. When Lavender grabbed Hermione's hand in the common room that night, Harry had drawn his wand and repelled her quickly.

"Miss Brown, please remember your decorum and keep your hands off my betrothed!"

"Betrothed? Ooh, does that explain the ring? But why does Ginny have one? And Bones, Lovegood, and Greengrass?"

Hermione shook her head at her dorm mate. How could she ever once, even briefly, have considered Lavender for the coven?

"Lavender, the rings are house business. Yes, Harry and I are betrothed. Those facts are not necessarily linked. I would expect that you would be trained well enough to know not to intrude in matters of house business when it does not involve yours or an allied house?"

Lavender looked at Hermione's stern glare and an angry Harry, who was rubbing his signets and letting his house magic roll off in waves. The common room was quite full and everyone was watching carefully. It was Ron who finally intervened.

"Come on Lav. Why don't we go for a walk?"

Lavender seemed near tears and just nodded as she took hold of Ron's arm and they left the common room. Harry had played a bit of chess with Ron lately, but had been so focused on the coven that they hadn't spent much time together. He had heard rumors, but now it looked like the ones linking Ron with Lavender might be true. Well, if his friend was happy, he was welcome to her. Everyone else seemed to get the hint and returned to what they were doing. Gradually word spread from Gryffindor to the other houses. The rings were noticed and admired, but no further comments were made.

While the coven members were busy finishing up their school term at Hogwarts, Amelia was busy with her own preparations for the solstice. She had the location in the Orkneys under regular watch and it appeared that the Death Eaters were settling in for a long stretch. Regular small groups were seen coming and going carrying packages. Of course with shrinking charms there was no telling what the packages could contain and she suspected that supplies were being stockpiled. While she was mostly confident that she didn't have a mole, she knew there was always the possibility of a good Auror letting something untoward slip during a discussion after too many pints. With that in mind, she called a department meeting and announced a department wide training session on Friday with squad competitions. It would mean all squads were required to be on duty. As a carrot she offered an extra two days paid leave to the winner. At the last minute she called in Tonks' squad commander and somberly told him that she was out with some kind of eye ailment. He wasn't happy, but had enough warning to make adjustments. Of course the whole story was a farce, but it would mean she had everyone handy Friday morning when she would change her story at the last minute.

Along with getting her department together, Amelia was pulling together other resources. Bill Weasley had reported to Ragnok and the Council and they were aghast at the news he brought. Bill was to be the leader of a six man squad of ward breakers. He was also authorized to bring goblin rune stones, which would allow the wards to come down even faster. It was unheard of that they goblins would allow their use and showed just how much they hated the abominations that Voldemort had created. It was also shown by the fact that they were offering their assistance at no charge.

With the goblins helping, Amelia also contacted several muggle resources. There were certain high ranking officials in the muggle government and law enforcement who knew about the magical world. While they couldn't offer outright help, they were able to make a couple of quiet offerings. The first of those were in the form of satellite imaging. The idea was shocking to Amelia, but she had seen the images taken from space showing detailed scans of anywhere in Britain. They had pulled archive images of the Murra area of the Orkneys from just a few weeks ago. There wasn't much to see except rugged coastline and patched land with the small keep that would be easy to overlook. The real news came when she had asked if there were more recent images. It had taken a day, but her resource had gotten a new satellite pass and was stunned by the changes. In the area where a rough keep could be seen before, there was a strange fuzziness, almost like the camera needed to be focused. It was the first proof that Amelia had that heavy wards could impact muggle technology and it was even more definitive proof of their target. It would also make for an interesting discussion once this all passed in a few days. Algie in Mysteries would especially like to hear about that.

Along with the satellite experts, the Prime Minister had assigned a 'case specialist' at MI6 to help if needed. The individual was unique in that, although he was muggle, his father was a squib and his sister was a witch. He worked in a specialist unit that was largely autonomous with a number of special projects that often answered only to the highest levels of government, making him perfect for helping Amelia. When he met her late Wednesday and she explained who the target was and what the plan was, he grinned and knew immediately what equipment he wanted. She gave him a timed portkey that would see him transported to a staging area eight kilometers from the target at 0600 Friday morning and he promised to be ready.

By Thursday afternoon Amelia was feeling confident that all of her arrangements were in place. She still didn't like the idea that Susan was involved in a coven, but her right to object had been signed away with the consort contract. Combined with how happy Susan appeared and it at least helped to mollify her. She had spent a couple of evenings reading the materials Hermione had provided and knew there was still a chance that the rituals could complete with no bond forming, but after watching the group together, she doubted that. She left the office only a bit late that evening and made her way to meet Sirius for dinner. She had planned on talking to him about their relationship, but decided that with everything happening that she should wait until after tomorrow. She didn't need him worrying more than he already would.

Dinner that night at Hogwarts was standard, except that for the first time the entire coven minus Tonks decided to sit together. The rings that the six Hogwarts students wore had been the talk of the school and the fact that the additional relationships had been kept quiet had caused a lot of questions. They refused to answer any of them, but decided on this last night before the solstice to at least sit together and let everyone think what they would. It caused enough of a buzz that attention was diverted from the remaining exams at the end of the week. Up at the staff table, Dumbledore contemplated the group and wondered what was going on. He had hoped that Harry's infatuation with the muggleborn would wane and he could be brought into alignment with one of the old light families. Ginny Weasley was in the group and she was ideal. Luna Lovegood was a strange one, but she would suffice. Susan Bones could be troublesome if Amelia decided to meddle too much. Daphne Greengrass was one he wasn't pleased with. She was Slytherin and her family were staunchly neutral, always too careful to never declare sides. What was Harry doing? He would need to talk to the boy. Perhaps after exams tomorrow before the train left on Saturday morning. His thoughts trailed off as the group he was contemplating finished eating and left the Great Hall together.

The coven spent an hour that night going over all the details for the rituals, with Tonks arriving halfway through thanks to Dobby. The plan was to have her stay in the castle due to their early start the next morning. Once the entire group dispersed, the room provided her a nice bedroom with en-suite and she was asleep quicker than she had thought possible.

On the morning of the solstice all of the coven members woke at half past five and Dobby transported each to the Room. Once there, Harry called for Milly and Winky and the three elves began the preparations as had been planned. Harry meditated for a few minutes and instructed the room about what was needed. First in the instructions were impenetrability wards and locking charms barring all manner of mundane and magical access. The elves also added their magic to ward the room further, with only the three of them allowed in. Harry was reassured that Fawkes was still not available to the headmaster, as that was the only other means he could think that Dumbledore could use.

With the room sealed, one side was set up as a ritual space and appeared as a green glade with four rowan trees at the compass points. A screen divided the glade from the more practical side of the room which at the moment featured a large trestle table for breakfast, where the elves were busy preparing a traditional ritual breakfast of baked oat cakes, served with fresh berries, and spring water from a sacred well. The food was plain, but it was designed to nourish while also purifying the body from within. The decision on what to eat had been made among the group, but surprisingly it had been the water that had been the most difficult aspect since no one was familiar with where to find sacred water. Luna had found the solution when she contacted a great aunt on her mother's side and fifty liters had been provided. The details about the water weren't given, except that Luna had mentioned that her great aunt had fey blood.

Once everyone had their fill of the simple meal, the elves cleared and vanished the long table. Harry then focused a moment and the room offered two large baths in front of them, one hot and one cold. The coven then began to disrobe. Once they were all naked, Hermione stepped toward Harry with a bundle of prepared herbs and began to rub his body while chanting. Then Susan stepped forward with a handful of salt and rubbed him down while joining in the chant. As they did this, Harry was meditating within himself and was only peripherally aware of them. Each kissed him briefly and then he stepped into the steaming water of the first bath. His skin pinked immediately and his senses cried out, but he resumed his meditation and remained until he found his center again. Then he emerged and sunk into the cold bath. After remaining there for several minutes, he emerged ritually purified. He then turned his attention to Hermione, whose turn was next.

Over the next forty minutes, all members of the coven finished their ritual purification and by a quarter of seven they were ready to proceed with their rituals. All clothing remained discarded, as none was needed or welcome. They all entered the glade and marveled at the beautiful creation the Room had given them. Daphne took the lead as she took a bowl of salt and began to trace the runes for the first ritual within the glade. Once they were in place, Harry was placed in the middle with the six others around and each let their magic flow as the runes were charged. As the charging occurred, a pulse came from the Room and they could feel Hogwarts adding her magic. Hermione had the fleeting thought that the headmaster most likely knew something was happening now.

Hermione would have been correct, except that Albus Dumbledore was now more than 240 kilometers north of the school. Shortly after six that morning, he had received a most unusual, urgent floo call from Amelia Bones. She had apparently tracked down Voldemort's base and wanted his help with the assault. Of course, she had no idea about the horcruxes and he had tried to make her wait a couple of days, but the woman was maddeningly insistent. He had ended up agreeing to a meeting that was getting ready to start shortly in a tent at her staging area not far from where Voldemort was holed up. At her insistence, he had floo'd to the Ministry first. From there she had provided him a portkey to who knew where. Now it was nearly seven in the morning and he found himself in the blasted Orkneys of all places! Amelia had an army of Aurors, as well as a few ward breakers (including a couple of goblins), and even a muggle with some strange weapons he didn't understand. They were all prepared and waiting for some signal in a couple of hours. It seemed quite slapdash and he could hardly believe that Amelia Bones was this desperate. He needed to have a talk with her and soon. After she finished a hushed discussion with the muggle, she finally nodded and agreed to a private talk with Dumbledore. A corner of the tent had been shielded as an office, but Albus put up extra charms. Amelia sighed, knowing she wasn't ready for this, but that she had to face it.

"Alright Albus, what is it?"

"It's this entire operation! Really Amelia, usually you're more methodical than this. You're waiting for some mystical signal before the whole operation moves forward. You won't tell anyone else, but you're risking everyone's lives on it. This isn't like you. Also, I don't think involving muggles and goblins is wise. This is something that magicals need to take care of. There is more at work here than you realize."

"No Albus, there is more at work here than you realize. For close to a century you've been playing puppet master with people and information. For once you don't have all the information. Let me guess, you wanted to delay this attack, because you don't think we can permanently kill Tom because of his horcruxes? They all have to be found and destroyed first. Or is it that you think Harry needs to be involved since the prophecy says so?"

Albus went white at her words and sat down suddenly. Amelia gave a feral grin that would make a goblin proud.

"Yes Albus, I am aware of some of your greatest secrets. I have some of my own, but I am oath bound not to tell you. Suffice it to say that hopefully the horcruxes will be dealt with soon. We won't be attacking until we know they are. As for using goblin ward breakers or muggle technology, I'll use any damn thing that helps bring the bastard down and saves Auror lives. Now, are you with us? You've been manipulating for too long. I need your oath that you will stay here and wait with us. Whether or not you join the attack is up to you. I cannot have you leave this area though. You know too much now. If you won't give your oath, I'll have you bound until the day is over."

Albus was shocked. Amelia had drawn her wand and had it under his chin now. He realized that he had no other options. For now. He slowly drew his wand and made his oath to stay in the area until the battle concluded. He also gave oath to assist with the battle once it was called. Once his oath completed, Amelia lowered her wand and sighed.

"Alright Albus, thank you. I'll leave you on your own for now. Please don't abuse my trust. I have a lot of questions about choices you've made over the last fifteen years. You have a chance to redeem those choices today. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to talk to some of my Auror squads."

Amelia left, leaving behind a contemplative Albus Dumbledore.

Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts the initial ritual continued as the runes were finished charging. In the center of the circle, Harry felt energized by the magic that flowed through him. Hermione, Ginny, and Tonks continued a low chant of power as they led Daphne to him. The chant offered her purity as a sacrifice to his magic. In reply, Harry accepted in a response chant that ended as his lips captured Daphne's and he poured magic into her. Then he lowered her to the grass and looked down on her with his eyes like green fire. She had been a bit worried before, but now all concerns left her. Her magic and her body called to him like nothing she had ever known. There were no gentle reassurances as none were needed. She opened herself to him and his throbbing erection glided into her without hesitation as he kissed her with all the passion their magic created. She vaguely felt a bit of discomfort, but it was barely something to be noted amidst the magic. Then he pulled out and plunged back in as he began to set a quick pace and then Daphne felt the tingle began. She didn't know how long they moved together. Her hips met his in an ancient harmony of magic as she crested so close to her climax. Her fingers gripped everywhere and her tongue waged a duel with Harry's as their magic became visible in a nimbus between their bodies. Then it happened. She felt the peak coming when Harry pushed in extra hard and a warm fluid suffused her, pushing her over the edge as her head snapped back and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Never had she known anything like this. When her vision returned, it was to see the most glorious pair of emerald eyes looking down on her and realizing that she had found her place in the universe.

While Daphne and Harry rested in the glade, Hermione stepped forth with a crystal phial. She kissed Daphne briefly, before opening her legs. Drawing her wand, Hermione said a minor incantation to draw the viriginal blood together and collected it all into a phial. She bit her lip as she ached to join the ritual, but it was not yet time. The blood wasn't much, but it would be enough for the protection ritual.

While time had seemed to stop during Daphne's ritual, in actuality it had taken a bit over twenty minutes. After about ten minutes of rest, Harry rose and helped her up. He knew there was more to be done and he hoped that with magic he could manage. Daphne stepped away and Hermione led Harry to the side where he was rubbed down with a fresh bundle of herbs and salt by Tonks, while Susan washed him with a clean towel and ritual water. Now that the they had begun, no one could leave the glade, but it was important to purify between each aspect of the ritual. He was then led back to the center of the circle and the chant began again.

Next, Susan was led to him as she gave her chant, offering herself. Harry kissed her hard and long and Susan felt an overwhelming tide of passion encompass her. She didn't know how, but she found herself lying on the grass with Harry laying over her, his lips fastened too her neck as her lips found the side of his face as fingers dug into her buttocks. Then he raised his hips and entered her swiftly. She hadn't expected his size and he stretched her as she cried out for just a moment. Then his mouth was on hers and his fingers found her clit a moment before he began a tender rhythm. The pain was there, but the magic between them made it worth it. Then Harry sat up slightly, gripping her thighs as he adjusted his angle and pushed in deeper. As he did, he struck something within her and Susan's eyes flew open as she had her first small orgasm. Grinning with satisfaction, Harry adjusted himself and set his pace so that his strokes were small and quick across that spot. Soon he had Susan screaming in rapture as he marveled at how different each of his witches were. He drew out her orgasm for long minutes before he increased his pace and emptied himself deep within her. As she felt him release, she seized and lost consciousness for a moment as Harry lay down with her and caught his breath for a moment. It was hard to believe that the day was just getting started. Thank the gods for magic.

After allowing them time to recover, Ginny stepped forward with a crystal phial and kissed Susan, the consort for her house. She had bled noticeably and Ginny cast the same incantation Hermione had earlier to collect as much as she could for the upcoming protection ritual. Harry then helped Susan stand and Ginny took him to the side as the elves provide fresh herbs, salt, and water for his cleansing. He also drank some of the sacred water and accepted half an oat cake to replenish his energy before stepping back into the circle.

The chanting began again and now it was time for Harry's last virgin to be offered to him. Luna was eager as she drifted into his arms and gave her offering chant. When he kissed her, the fire was there but it wasn't forceful like it had been with the others. Still, there was something unique and intoxicating to it and he found it hard to pull away from her. It was actually Luna who led them to the floor of the glade as she looked up at Harry, spread herself and smiled eagerly at him. She truly was like a moonbeam spread out pale and beautiful before him. Harry whispered his love and marveled at the magic that encompassed them as he throbbed, just as hard as he had been his first time around. Then he moved to slide into Luna while he kissed her hungrily. As expected, he met resistance and was ready for it, but found that he seemed stuck. He pulled back and pushed harder, but seeing the pain in Luna's eyes almost made him wilt as he stopped and just leaned forward to kiss her for a while. Once they had both relaxed, Luna rolled to the side and Harry took the hint as he was soon on his back with Luna hovering over him. She looked down on him with a mischievous grin as she lowered herself down again. The feeling was exquisite for Harry, but he didn't know what was wrong. Then Luna did something that almost made him blow, she started to bounce. She began short little bunny hops on his cock. The movements felt fantastic and the view of her small, but perfect boobs was amazing. Each time she came down, Harry felt the head of his cock hit something, but Luna was moaning, so he figured she was alright. This wasn't his first time with a girl on top, but this movement was unique, so Harry decided to just lay back and enjoy it as he reached up for those glorious boobs. Around him, the chanting continued, but the other witches were definitely enjoying the show. After a few minutes, Luna suddenly sank during mid bounce and gave a loud squeal. Harry felt it as well, knowing that her barrier had finally given way. Luna had collapsed forward on his chest and he took over, thrusting up into her. He continued that for a couple of minutes before rolling them back over and setting a quicker pace. When Luna finally came, she gave a long breathy moan before finally calling Harry's name. That was the signal he needed and Harry released for the third time that morning.

After the requisite few minutes to recover, Tonks stepped forward with a crystal phial and groaned as Luna spread her legs and grinned at the future Lady Peverell. The incantation was said and the third sample of virgin blood was collected, and then Harry helped Luna stand.

With all three virgins now ritually deflowered, they were ready to begin the main ritual that would be timed to begin with the solstice. Harry was unsure how they were doing on time, but that was one of Winky's jobs. She informed them as Harry and Luna stood that it was 8:35. That gave them a good half hour to rest before the next ritual and Harry was ready for a hot soak. Hermione and Daphne dissolved their ritual circle and then the seven left the glade and made their way to a hot tub the room had provided. Unlike the cleansing tubs from before, the tub was not overly hot, instead it was set at a perfect relaxing temperature. They all happily sunk into to the water while the elves served more of their prepared fare of oat cakes, berries, and sacred water. It may not have been exciting, but it did boost their energy.

After a twenty minute soak, Winky alerted them to the time and everyone climbed out and accepted pristine white towels from Dobby. They could have used drying charms, but were avoiding any extra magic outside of the rituals. Anyway, helping each other dry off was more fun. Dobby did his best to look away, while Milly seemed nonplussed. They had warned all three elves that they would need to remain on standby and may see more than they would normally prefer, but their assistance was necessary for mundane tasks like providing food and tracking time, as well as monitoring the security of the room. As everyone finished drying, security was Harry's current concern.

"So, any alerts on the wards for the room? Has anyone been looking for us?"

"No alerts Master Harry. Headmaster Whiskers left the castle not long after you came to the Room. Dobby left to check around the castle a bit earlier and you were mentioned at breakfast by the red haired one and others who don't know why you are missing, but nothing other than a comment."

"Very good. Sounds like Amelia came through with Dumbledore. I expected we would be missed at breakfast. We already arranged to take exams early, so the professors shouldn't be too surprised not to see us. I guess all the planning is working."

With that reassurance, the group began their self purification as everyone split into pairs or a group of three. Once again bundles of fresh herbs and salt were used to rub down each person. Then the hot and cold tubs of water were utilized again as each person put themselves in a trance and entered first the hot and then the cold. Once all were purified, the chant continued as they all moved back to the glade.

Once they were in the glade, Hermione and Daphne led the way drawing the runes for the ritual. Susan assisted, but Hermione and Daphne were the best in the subject. Once the runes were in place on the ground, Harry was placed in the center and the three phials of collected virgin blood were combined. Hermione enchanted over these and, although the amount was not much, it was enough for the two complex protection runes that she painted onto Harry's chest. While she was working, the rest of the coven was in a trance chanting in unison to strengthen the coven magic around them. When Hermione finished, she called to Winky for a time check. Although the elf wasn't visible, she confirmed the time was 9:16. Nearly perfect and close enough that they could begin. By the time of the first penetration, the solstice time would be reached.

With Harry still seated at the center in trance, Hermione stood and gathered all the coven around her. Together they moved from the centering chant to the words of the rite of purification. With their arms linked, all the witches moved to place hands over Harry's scar, focusing their magic on the taint within it. As they did, Harry felt his scar burn and had a sudden desire to pull away that he knew he must fight. It hurt, but not as bad as some of the times it had hurt in the past. He reasoned with himself that these women were his and would never hurt him. Opening himself, he dropped his shields and allowed them full access to himself. As he did, something black and malignant fought him and was beaten down by the six brilliant lights that were the witches around him. Then he felt lips on his own and a hand on his groin as desire flared to meet the strength of the magic that swirled around him. He didn't know who it was who was taking him first, but he needed her desperately as he grasped womanly flesh and pulled her down onto him. She sighed as she sunk onto him and he thrust up into her. Their eyes met, brilliant green and pale blue. It was Luna who had come to him first and her magic gave him strength through the pain as the rest of the witches used the purification rite against the taint in his head.

Instead of allowing an immediate cleansing, the coven sent their magic out, seeking other places where a similar taint might be. It required an incredible control of magic, but the group was up to the task. Luna's goal was to feed Harry pleasure and block the pain that the taint in his scar was attempting to punish him with, and she was reveling in the task. She rode him long and hard for many minutes when Hermione cried out. Then everyone in the coven got a faint image of what had been seen. The first horcrux was gone. Harry though was bound to feel the worse and Luna tightened her muscles around his cock, knowing he had been close for a while. She had already achieved several small orgasms, but this was Harry's time now and she grinned at the mixture of pain and pleasure that crossed his face as she felt her insides flooded with cum as his orgasm drowned out the feedback from the lost horcrux. Meanwhile, Hermione was left crying.

"That one surprised me. Sirius' house. Boiler room. Old locket."

"Good work Hermione. Let me take the focus next. You just proved your theory from months ago that this whole thing will work. Let's keep going. If you're alright?"

Hermione nodded and Harry pulled her close. Then Susan offered them water to drink and Harry cleaned up a bit as the coven began the ritual chant again, placing their focus back over Harry's scar. This time Harry chose his next partner as he pulled Hermione close. She submitted herself willingly as he drove himself into her while Daphne took the focus of the rite. The pain was back in Harry's scar, but he was expecting it now. He bathed in the light of the five around him while he enjoyed the body of sixth below him, who continued to chant even while enjoying their love making. They set a steady rhythm and his scar grew angry and red as it tried to fight being used, but the ritual worked yet again as Daphne called out and all of the coven pushed their magic out, destroying another horcrux. Hermione had already come once, but Harry was still rock hard, so he pulled her legs up and continued to work her steadily for another couple of minutes until they both came together. Once they were done and lying together, he turned to Daphne for more information.

"That one was a ring. Ugly thing. It was under a shack. We didn't see those pensieve memories Dumbledore showed you, but it might have been the Gaunt shack you described."

After everyone passed some water around and Ginny helped helped Harry clean up, they agreed to continue and Daphne fixed a couple of the runes on the glade as the group chanted and refocused on Harry's scar. Once again Harry felt the pain build as he actively focused on his breathing and Susan wrapped her arms around him and kissed him to the point that he forgot the pain. This time it was Luna who took the focus and traced the feedback from the scar. Susan wasn't paying attention to her coven mate as she grabbed Harry and directed him to her core, begging him to take her hard. He was eager to comply and soon had her screaming. Still, neither had a chance to come since Luna yelled happily and was applauding all too soon. Harry was curious, but instead decided to focus on the beautiful witch under him as he continued to make love to Susan for a while longer. The other witches watched and the magic in the air was undeniable as Tonks gave in and soon found herself wrapped up with Hermione. Meanwhile, Luna decided her news could wait as she turned her focus to Ginny. This left Daphne the odd witch out, but she was still recovering from her focus on the previous horcrux, so she was fine to watch the different shows and just finger herself for a while.

After about ten minutes, Harry finally came for what seemed like the dozenth time that morning. It was the second for that ritual for Susan and she was panting and grinning at him. As he sat up and looked around, Harry groaned at the sights around him. Tonks and Hermione were mostly done, but both looked happy. Ginny and Luna were making a lot of noise arranged in a 69 and Harry couldn't believe he was getting aroused again. There was definitely something to be said for coven magic. They finished a few minutes later and the whole group gathered together for a cuddle.

"Alright Luna, that last one was fast. What did you find?"

"It was Ravenclaw's diadem. And it was right here. Sort of. In a different version of the Room where lost things are kept. We should look later and see if it survived."

"Wow. No wonder it didn't take long. Alright, well we all obviously needed a break. I could use sustenance. And we wiped out your runes again Daphne. Maybe clean up the glade and ourselves and go again in fifteen?"

Everyone agreed and the elves were called to provide food, water and wet towels for clean up, although Harry was careful to not touch the protection runes that were drawn around his nipples. He knew that the pain he had been experiencing would have been a lot worse without them.

While the group back at the castle were making progress, the effects were also being felt in the central hall of a modest keep in the Orkneys. Lord Voldemort had relocated himself and his forces to the more defensible and less known location a few days previous, and all had been going according to plan. Stockpiles were being rebuilt and wards were in place and recharging. Best of all, the place was well away from the Ministry. Of course, it wasn't as grand as Malfoy Manor, but that could be worked on. Voldemort had plans for several attacks on the solstice that would make his followers happy, but that was not to be. Just as the solstice was beginning and he was calling everyone in for a meeting something had happened and they were attacked. Or more specifically, he was attacked. It made no sense. The wards were in place, there was no sign of anyone for many kilometers around. Yet something had struck the Dark Lord, causing him to collapse in pain. The Carrow twins had dared to approach his throne and he had not even been able to focus enough to cast a crucio! It was unheard of. Now it had been well over an hour and the pain had not let up. He had called Severus and asked for a potion, but the standard pain potion did little. Severus had brewed up a nerve potion that helped a bit more, but still not enough. When this damn curse, whatever it was, was over Severus was going to feel pain himself!

Back at Hogwarts the coven had regained their strength and Hermione and Daphne were repairing the runes on the glade while Susan took the last of the virgin blood and touched up the protection runes on Harry. She chanted as she did and found the experience so erotic that it was hard not to throw herself on him right there, but she knew there was more work to be done.

With all the runes back in place, Harry stood in the center while his six witches gathered around him. He looked at each as he thought back on the events of the morning. Each witch was maintaining a low meditation chant and he made a point of locking his eyes on each of them. It was then that a revelation struck him as hard as anything he had felt yet that morning. Hermione was his first love, his Lady Potter, but he did love each one of these amazing women. Maybe not with the all consuming love that he felt for Hermione, but it was still there. Before they proceeded, he needed them to know and he remembered something from a book of rituals that Hermione had. They had all been eating for nourishment throughout the rites, but the act of feeding one's mate was special within the coven. With this in mind, Harry called for Dobby to bring him a bowl of berries and some water. Stepping to the first witch in front of him, Harry smiled at Tonks and whispered his love to her. She seemed stunned, but then willingly accepted the berries he offered and sipped some water after. He sealed his words with a kiss that told her everything she needed to know and she found it difficult to separate from him, but she saw that he needed to move around the circle. Harry proceeded on to Susan, Daphne, Hermione, Luna and Ginny, letting each know that they were loved. This part of the ritual was unplanned, but a glow began to form and grew brighter as Harry continued around the circle and Hermione realized how special this was to their combined rituals. Once Harry finished, he returned to the center of circle and released a wave of his magic over the six witches as the glow that grown gradually dispersed. This also caused a small shockwave as the castle shook and numerous students and several professors wondered what was happening.

One professor who was curious was Sirius Black, but he had to push aside the anomaly as he had other concerns. He had just finished his last exam and his portkey was almost due. Amelia hadn't wanted him at risk, but he had convinced her that every extra wand would be handy. So, he quickly walked to the edge of the wards and then grasped the portkey just as it activated and whisked him away to the staging area in the Orkneys.

With his love declaration complete, the purification ritual continued with Daphne leading the chant as all six witches stepped forward to focus their magic over Harry's scar. The pain was still intense, but Harry thought that perhaps it was a bit lessened, although that may have been subjective. He yielded to the magic in the room as it rolled over him and out of the castle, seeking the next horcrux. Since she had heard Harry declare his love, Tonks had needed him and now she went forward and let him claim her as Ginny volunteered to take the seeker focus for the next horcrux. Tonks was oblivious to what Ginny or the others were doing, her world was all Harry. She managed to maintain a focusing chant only by sheer habit as Harry grabbed her hips and pulled her upwards while he pushed down into her strongly. With one hand gripping her bum, his other rested on a hip while his thumb found her clit. He leered at her knowingly as he drove into her at a practiced pace. He knew she loved this position and soon he had her forgetting her chant as she called his name and then briefly lost consciousness as he drove her into oblivion. She came around as Harry rolled her over and began to take her fast and hard from behind. She could feel him throbbing and knew he was close when Ginny screamed and collapsed into Hermione's arms before declaring success. Then Harry grunted and Tonks felt herself flooded with cum before she too came once again. Everyone in the coven felt the backlash and lay panting for a while after. Finally, Ginny was able to tell them more.

"Well, that was a surprise. It was his snake. I know there were Death Eaters nearby, so I'm sure it's going to be noticed that his snake died suddenly."

"Alright then, I guess we should move along. I don't think he could have created many more. Even Voldemort couldn't fragment himself that much."

Everyone agreed and called for the elves. They confirmed the room was still secure and no one had tried to gain access. There was some talk in the castle about the shockwave, but no great concern. Everyone drank some water, cleaned up a bit, and then returned to their positions in the glade.

The usual purification ritual chant began with Harry as the focus, with Tonks taking the lead role to follow the feedback from Harry's scar. Meanwhile, Daphne claimed her position on Harry. She could see he was tiring, although his erection certainly didn't show it, so she decided to take control and he seemed quite fine with her plan. She set a pleasant, rolling motion that saw her almost fully removed from Harry's cock and then driven back down on it moments later. She groaned with each downward movement, knowing that she needed to make this last and wondering if she could. Her eyes were locked on Harry's and she could see the mixture of pain and pleasure there. Determined to override the pain with more pleasure, she squeezed down on him while leaning forward to adjust her angle. Harry's eyes flew open and he gasped as he leaned forward to kiss her. Daphne smiled to herself, yes that move definitely seemed to be working for him, and it felt quite delightful for her as well.

While Daphne was practicing her art, Tonks was having a bit more difficult of a time tracing the feedback from Harry's scar. She understood the idea and had followed a bit when the others had located the previous horcruxes, but this one she thought may be shielded. Still, she was nothing if not stubborn and continued on in a determined manner. While she didn't mark time, it ended up taking over twice as long as any other horcrux, but she finally traced the path to the horcrux. As she looked at the path, she saw no other tendrils beyond the one to Harry. This was it! Thank Merlin! Increasing the purification chant, she let all the magic from the coven flow through and blast the horcrux. As she did, she had one last vision and then a backlash as her last thought was 'oh shit!'.

The entire coven felt the same backlash, but for Harry and Daphne that was combined with a mutual orgasm as Daphne drove herself down hard onto Harry as he simultaneously thrust up into her, ejecting more cum than he thought he would have left. A split second later the backlash enveloped everyone.

As everyone was reeling, Luna was the one with the forethought to deal with Harry's scar while they had the connection open and the coven magic was flowing. Daphne had rolled off Harry and he had gone limp, but Luna just rolled over and straddled his leg as she placed her lips on his scar and focused as much of the magic that was rolling in the room into the scar. Ginny was the next to realize what was happening and joined Luna, fusing her lips to Harry's scar. She also felt the need and drove her fingers between Luna's legs. The other witches were all exhausted by the magic in the room, but they opened themselves and focused as each rolled toward the three. Even if they could do nothing else, all seven were touching as they forced their magic and love through the ancient purification rite and into Harry's scar. This time instead of letting the magic flow out to find other horcruxes, they kept it contained. For Harry, the pain was excruciating, but he was unable to move due to all the bodies on top of his. Then he felt something that distracted him from a bit of the pain as a wonderful suction took hold of his cock. Reaching down, he recognized the bushy hair and groaned as he began to respond to the blow job. He amazed himself when he responded to Hermione's dutiful work and then Ginny was on him, riding him hard for a couple of minutes. When she came, Susan took over. Unfortunately, she found herself too sore to last long and gave way to Hermione. Somehow it seemed fitting that Hermione would be the last to finish the task. She stared into the eyes she loved so much and chanted loudly as she willed her magic into Harry as the other witches all focused on his scar, although their hands wandered to each other as well while the chanting continued.

The Potter Coven worked together focusing their magic for some time. Later Winky would say it was around forty minutes. It could have been hours as far as Harry was concerned. They knew they were finally done when Harry let out a primal scream and his scar split open. A black mist fled at the same time that Harry erupted and passed out in exhaustion. The entire group was done in, but Tonks knew she needed to report to her boss and summoned Dobby.

"Dobby, go to the location we discussed and find Amelia. Tell her it's done. Commence the attack. Let her know we're all fine, but tired."

Dobby nodded and popped out immediately to do as bid.

While Dobby was on his way to visit the head of the DMLE in a large tent that was the staging area in the Orkneys, things were not going near as well at the keep they had under surveillance. Just moments before, things had gotten even worse for the Death Eaters. The Dark Lord had been having some kind of fit all morning. Now he had collapsed and no one knew why. Snape had checked him and he was alive, but he was unable to revive him. This news left his followers confused. They were followers for a reason. Several thought of themselves as more and began to argue among themselves. Severus Snape meanwhile moved the Dark Lord to a nearby bedroom. Then he quietly left and apparated away. It was time to flee before he was noticed.

Inside the keep, Rosier and Mulciber were facing off, ready to duel. Then they felt the wards fall. Then the keep the shook.

-Twenty minutes before-

When Dobby arrived with the good news, Amelia was ready. It was almost noon and she had been waiting for this news all morning. Sirius had arrived not long before. Dumbledore was also nearby and was not taking the wait well. Now it was time to move. First the wards. She nodded to Bill and he and the goblin ward breakers disappeared. With the ward stones that Gringotts had loaned them, and given the fact that the wards had only been charging for a few days, the wards would come down quickly. Next, she found Corbin in a corner where he appeared to be meditating. She had assigned a Junior Auror as his escort, basically to apparate him to several spots that had been identified earlier. The junior stood to his side and accepted Amelia's nod. Seconds after the warders left, her muggle specialist and his escort were on their way to their first stop. Next she turned to her squad leaders and they each apparated out in order. She had a senior squad that would come up behind. Sirius and Dumbledore were with her. She directed her attention to Dumbledore now.

"Alright Albus, the horcruxes are destroyed and Voldemort is weak. We take him now. Questions later. If you wish to redeem yourself, now is the time."

Dumbledore seemed stunned, but nodded and followed Amelia to the apparition point for her squad, a hillside a bit over a kilometer from the keep. Barely a minute after they arrived, Amelia smiled when the wards went down.

Meanwhile, on a small hillock to the southeast of Amelia, Corbin (he had long ago decided on one professional name, it suited him) was readying his weapon of choice. He was only one piece in a puzzle, one member of a team. He wasn't here to destroy this keep, but if he could damage it a bit and keep the inhabitants unsettled, then he had done his job. And if he could mark a few kills of his own he wouldn't mind either. He unpacked his RPG-7 grenade launcher with practiced eased and quickly loaded it with a PG-7VR warhead. This selection was designed for use against armor, but had also been shown to be effective against heavy fortifications and concrete block. He thought it would do well with the old stone keep and he had pre-selected a few targets around the building where it looked like maintenance had been lax and the warhead would be able to take a good bite out of the stone. Just minutes after arriving at their location, the young Auror told him the wards were down and that was his signal. The first launch was off and he smiled as he watched it hit. Then he looked at the young man who had been assigned as his escort. The kid didn't look old enough to shave and he knew the kid had doubted what a muggle could do. It looked like he was thinking different now. He quickly secured his gear and the kid popped them to their second stop. Corbin had to admit, the transportation sure was speedy. Within ten minutes he had hit different sides of the keep with three warheads. He had two more minutes left before he had to fall back. He noticed the enemy was going mad and some had started to flee, running outside, looking for attackers. A number were in a courtyard of the keep. Corbin had just the thing for them. He loaded a fragmentation warhead and aimed into the middle of the courtyard. The explosion wasn't as impressive, but the fragments would wreak havoc on anyone nearby. He turned to his escort and offered his arm. Seconds later they were back in the staging tent. Corbin's job was done. It was time to let the magicals do their bit. Amelia couldn't risk attacking while he was still firing.

Meanwhile at five points around the keep, the different squads of Aurors watched the initial attacks. The boss had told them that the attack was coming in stages. Wards were stage one, they were stage three. No one had been sure what stage two was, although there was that strange muggle that no one knew much about. Now, over the space of fifteen minutes, they watched as nearly half the keep was destroyed by something that resembled the most powerful blasting hexes they had ever seen. Then the signal came and it was their turn. The first squads approached the keep with the usual combination of shield and offensive casting. The main gates were already partially destroyed and came down easily. When the Aurors reached the yard, what they found was gruesome. Whatever had hit the yard had torn anyone nearby apart. It was difficult to even estimate the number killed. Only two people even bothered trying to resist and both were subdued in seconds. Then they entered the keep and the fighting got a bit more intense. In the main hall, the largest group of surviving Death Eaters were gathered behind a ring of tables. In total, there were sixteen of them. The fight took ten minutes, but even with a defensible position, sixteen against forty wasn't good odds.

Additional Death Eaters were found scattered through the keep, but only one or two gave a token resistance. Twenty two actually were found under various piles of rubble caused by the initial RPG attack. Ironically, Voldemort was found in the bed where Snape had left him. The bed was under a wall that had collapsed onto it. The half-blood Dark Lord's death blow had been dealt by a muggle weapon. In the end, the fighting in the keep lasted less than an hour. By the time Amelia's squad reached the keep, the fighting was over and Albus had no chance for redemption. It was all a bit anticlimactic.

Amelia had a lot of cleanup left to do, but she sent Albus on back to the school and sent Sirius with him. Her boyfriend didn't object, he was concerned about Harry and the ladies. Amelia was interested as well and wanted to see Susan, so she promised to meet him at the castle that night.

o-o-o-o-o

 **And there you go. The end of the chapter that everyone has been waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for. I decided to get right to it and save the A/N for after. First, the weapons references within come straight from the internet, so I apologize for errors in advance. I am not personally versed in the use of an RPG. I wanted to take a different approach to dealing with the horcruxes and Voldie. I've read a lot of FF and I've never seen quite this take before. What do you think? From this point on there will be seven more chapters to the story. Six will be full chapters showing the coven and their life after the solstice and the last chapter is a brief epilogue that takes you over a hundred years in the future. Ha, there's a teaser!**


	21. A Tale to Be Told

**And here a couple of questions start to be answered. Please give it some time, its the holidays now, but they will gradually deal with the aftermath.**

o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 21 – A Tale to Be Told

Amelia did eventually make her way to Hogwarts, arriving in Sirius' office first. He was busy grading a stack of papers, which he gladly set aside when he saw her. He stood and stepped around the desk, wrapping her in his arms.

"You look done in love. I hope you're done for the day."

"Yes. I've got the teams working in shifts. I moved the staging tent closer. It's all cleanup now. I've got my best interrogators questioning the survivors back at the Ministry. The rest are working in squads combing through the keep to make sure we find everyone. Of course the not fun part is picking up the body parts. The courtyard especially is a mess. Corbin was much more effective than I ever imagined."

"What about injuries on our side?"

"Six total. Only four requiring St. Mungo's. Three will stay overnight. All will be back on duty within the week. I feel like I need to make an offering to someone in repayment. This all seems too good to be true."

"A combination of good planning and combined effort. What about the media?"

"I'm not letting them near the keep, but I've given them a small stand near the staging area. They've been told that Voldemort is dead. For good measure, I had his body hauled out of the rubble and let them take as many pictures as they wished. I explained that this was a combined and planned effort, but that more details would be several days in coming. They aren't thrilled, but the pictures will be enough for tomorrow's front page. I should be able to start releasing names then for the next story. I'm hoping to talk to Harry and…the coven…I guess I should get used to that, about what to tell the press. We can hold off for a few days at most."

"Well, I've been receiving updates from Dobby. They're exhausted of course." *snort* "No surprise there. They want to have dinner with us in the Room in…about twenty."

"Sounds good. Gives us a few minutes to relax."

Sirius smiled and led her to a nearby couch. They spent their time curled up together kissing and relaxing. Deciding to save Amelia four flights of stairs, Sirius called for Dobby, who happily apparated them to the Room.

When they arrived in the Room, the coven members were all seated on padded benches around a low table. They were all dressed in house robes and appeared to have left the shower or tub not long before. Harry greeted them and sounded tired, but his smile was wide. The first thing Sirius noticed was his scar. He crossed the room quickly to hug his godson, who stood to greet him.

"Pup! Your scar!"

"Yes, it's finally healing. It was a mess for a few hours. When the horcrux within it was banished, it split open and bled like mad. We had some healing supplies on hand for contingency purposes. Susan worked on me for a good while and it's a lot better. Over the last hour it's really faded. She thinks it will be almost invisible eventually."

While Sirius was checking on his charge, Amelia made her way to Susan. While she certainly cared for everyone, Susan was hers. Her niece stood to hug her aunt, who looked her over with a practiced eye. Susan laughed.

"I'm fine auntie. Quite fine. Everything went splendid and all my coven mates were wonderful. I know you probably still have doubts, but I'm very happy. And Hermione's theory worked. Even if we had just joined to defeat Voldemort, it would have been worth it. Instead, we created this wonderful family."

"So, the bond is definitely permanent?"

"Hermione, why don't you show auntie, you know the spell better. Auntie, we saw the glow during the ritual."

Hermione nodded and cast a bond confirmation spell. All of the coven glowed with an unusual blue-white light.

"Amelia, a wedding bond is normally golden. A fealty bond is white. Ours is different. I know the Ministry doesn't recognize the coven bond, but Gringotts does. I'm sure our bond has registered there. Not that it matters, Harry has already taken the other legal steps to bind us all and we know how we feel."

Amelia nodded, it was obvious the entire group was happy. Even before Hermione cast the spell, she could tell that this group was connected. It would be interesting to see how it developed in the coming years.

"There's one other thing the two of you should know before we eat. Harry sent a letter off with Hedwig just before you arrived. The last horcrux that was destroyed was a bit of a surprise and might cause issues. He directed it to Ragnok himself, so we hope that it will be received in the spirit it was sent. Apparently the last horcrux was attached to a cup in the Lestrange vault in Gringotts. It caused a backlash in the Gringotts wards. Let's just say it didn't feel good from this end and I'm sure they weren't happy. Harry also put a blood seal on the letter to prevent the information from being intercepted. And of course, we trust Hedwig above any other owl. Harry didn't go into details, but told Ragnok that the backlash was due to a horcrux being destroyed in the vault. We offered to come in the day after tomorrow to talk if he wishes. Harry said he needed a day to recover. I really hope Ragnok won't be angry."

Sirius looked surprised and rubbed his face while Amelia responded.

"Well, the fact you sent Ragnok a letter directly should mitigate any problems. And given their response and sending the ward breakers to help my department, I think they may understand."

Harry nodded, hopeful, as he went to take his seat. Amelia went and sat with Sirius at the table as Dobby appeared with dinner. Earlier that afternoon, Harry had sent Milly and Winky back to Potter Manor to finish preparations for the holiday. As everyone began to eat, the coven gave general details on the ritual. Amelia did find it fascinating, although she was happy not knowing too much. Then they wanted to know what had happened with the attack. Everyone was happy, if a bit surprised with how well it had gone.

As dessert was served, the discussion moved to plans for the holiday. The night before, Harry had sent off the letters to all the families with the change of plans for the holiday. He knew that changing Christmas plans this late would cause questions. Of course, the news of Voldemort's demise would only add to it. Still, it was clear in each letter that the families would need to come to Potter Manor if they wished to see their daughters. The coven knew they had more confrontations in place and was preparing themselves. The following day was Saturday the 23rd and there wasn't much time. Harry had been contemplating something and decided to discuss his concern now.

"Actually, I know the Express is due to take everyone home tomorrow, but I was hoping to avoid it. That's six hours wasted that I can find a better use for. I can floo from the Broomsticks in a matter of minutes. As a lord, I can force the issue. I think I can do the same for anyone betrothed to me, but I'm not sure about consorts."

"Actually Harry, why don't you let me help? I can guess that your concern is with the headmaster and I'll deal with him. As the head of the DMLE, I can arrange for you to have a portkey that will take you out of the school wards and designate six students who I feel are high risk due to any remaining Death Eaters that might still be at large. The portkey will take you six students and Tonks to the manor in the morning."

"Really? That's brilliant Amelia."

Amelia took a linen napkin and began a long series of incantations over it as it glowed. When done, she handed it to Daphne next to her. Then she took a piece of parchment that Susan passed to her and wrote a brief note for Dumbledore. She called for Dobby and the elf appeared.

"Dobby, I have a note for the headmaster. It's getting quite late though for an old man and I don't want to wake him. Can you please deliver this at eight tomorrow morning?"

Dobby acknowledged the request, took the note, and popped out.

"So Amelia, what time does our portkey leave?"

"Eight."

Everyone grinned, happy to once again foil any potential future meddling. The group talked for a few more minutes, but then all were ready to call it a night.

The next morning saw the coven waking together in the Room. None had wanted to separate for the brief few hours they had left until the holiday. They did know though that they needed to make an appearance with their friends and they all were down at the Great Hall a half hour later. Although it was still early, a good number of students were awake due to the Express leaving in an hour and a half. The coven's entrance was noticed and welcomed, as their different friends wondered where they had disappeared to over the last day. They all decided to sit at the Gryffindor table and no one seemed to notice that there was an Auror in the group. Predictably, it was Ron who spouted off first.

"Blimey Harry, what is it with you and all the birds? Where have you been? Did you see the Prophet, about He Who Must Not Be Named?"

"Yes Ron, I know about Voldemort. Or Tom Riddle. Since he's dead, I think we can use his name now. Sorry, but I've been a bit busy. Your family will be coming to Potter Manor over the holiday. We'll have a chance to talk more."

"Potter Manor? Wow, you have your own house? Well of course you do, what with everything else you've got. When were you going to tell me? Do mum and dad know?"

"Look Ron, everything has been happening fast lately. Just give me a bit of time please mate. I'm still not awake and I just want a bit of breakfast. I won't be on the Express. Security concerns and such. I have a portkey and it leaves in about fifteen minutes. Have to eat quick."

Ron scowled for a second, but then nodded. If there was one thing he could understand, it was the need for a bloke to have his breakfast. Harry managed to finish eating without any more interruptions. All of the coven left together at a couple of minutes until the hour and headed out of the Great Hall. They found an empty classroom and everyone grabbed onto the napkin portkey that Amelia had created. A minute later it activated and they all started spinning as they headed for Potter Manor.

The coven landed in the central hall of Potter Manor and a collective gasp was immediately heard. The cherry paneled walls and marble floors glowed under the fairy lights that festooned the holly garlands that were draped everywhere. In the four corners of the room were five 'trees' made up of various colored sparkling glass ornament balls. In the background could be heard the faint sound of Christmas carols playing and the smells of baking suffused the entire manor. Harry grinned. It was good to be home for the holidays. All the elves were waiting and Milly stepped forward to greet them.

"Welcome home Master Harry and Ladies! We all hope the decorations are to your liking. Each room's theme is a bit different. I must say, it was quite fun for us to unpack the decorations after so many years. Dobby has brought all your trunks from school and secured them in the Personal Quarters, which have been redesigned as you specified Lord Harry."

All the ladies turned to look at Harry, who smirked. He loved surprising them.

"Well, I might have had a bit of a discussion with Milly, who has been working with the others. The Manor is wonderful, but it wasn't exactly designed with our unique family in mind."

With that, none of the ladies could wait any further and had to see what Harry had done. They moved from the central hall on through the house, admiring each room as they went. The house was festooned in every corner and crevice with boughs, garlands, ornaments, and decorations. Even for the wealthier purebloods like Susan and Daphne who were used to having elves to help over the holidays, the decorations went beyond any they had seen before. Of course, the Potter elves were making up for lost time. Even as they reached the second floor, the decorations continued, as the rooms there had been set up for their expected guests. In the future, they planned to fill this floor with little ones, but for now they had space for their families.

Once they reached the third floor, the first changes could be seen. Previously the Lord's Suite had dominated the floor. Now, upon reaching the top floor, double doors opened into an informal living space that included a living room and small dining area to one side. Off of this space radiated a number of doors. The focal point though was a large set of double doors off the back of the room. Harry gestured toward them and Susan and Ginny took the lead as they threw the doors open.

All of the ladies were stunned by what they saw. It had been a fantasy they had discussed several times among themselves. Now Harry had brought it to life. While they were initially stunned and didn't move for the first twenty seconds, that was followed after by an explosion as Harry found himself tackled by all six women, who all seemed ready to give the room a try. Harry laughed as he submitted to a flurry of kisses as he found himself quickly being maneuvered toward the centerpiece of the room, a magnificent round bed that was five meters in diameter and was a special order, also requiring special sheets made by the elves. The bed took up two thirds of the room and was draped in meters and meters of fabric that centered from a ring above it on the ceiling. The fabric was all fine silk in a rainbow of rich jewel tones that complemented the fabrics of the bed itself. While the bed was massive and immensely comfortable, it was fairly low. Extending out from it was a magnificent plush rug woven in an elaborate pattern of magical flora and fauna with colors to match the rest of the fabrics in the room. The walls of the room were lined in deep blue silk, including the ceiling, which was enchanted with magical stars that could be turned on or off with the simple touch of a runestone. The room also offered a fantastic view out to the back lawn of the manor, but it also had thick blinds in matching blue silk that were charmed for complete light blockage and would turn the entire room into a jeweled cave if desired. To light the cave if necessary, antique glass lanterns in a range of rainbow colors with lumos runestones set within refracted light throughout the room. The entire effect was something out of Arabian Nights.

Harry's legs hit the bed and he fell back as the six ladies crawled in with him, pushing him back as they continued to kiss him. He tried to tell them that there was more to see, but they obviously had other ideas. He was pleased to see how well they all fit in the massive bed. They knew that at times each would want their own space, but all had agreed that they enjoyed being together. Enlarging a standard bed worked alright, but this bed was perfect. As Harry found himself losing clothing, he briefly contemplated when the different family would be arriving and was glad that the arrivals were all set for lunchtime. Then he let practical thoughts flee and willingly submitted himself to the grateful ministrations of the coven.

Several hours later, even the ladies had to agree that they needed to clean up and get ready for the arrival of their families. There would be enough shocking news without starting it by finding them all in bed together. Harry grinned and led them to the next remodeled area. To one side of the master bedroom, he touched a small decoration on the wall and a door slid open to reveal an elaborate bath with a range of beautiful Moroccan tile. Ginny groaned as they stepped in and looked around.

"Harry love, how do you expect to get us to lunch on time after showing us this?"

Several others agreed with her as they looked around. There were three water closets with carved marble privacy screens. Between them were three sinks, each with a fountain water faucet featuring a different golden mythical animal figurehead. Across from the sinks were several seating areas with mirrors where ladies could sit and apply makeup. On one end of the room was a steam sauna with a glass walled shower next to it that was large enough for all of them and featured at least twenty shower heads at different positions from the ceiling down the walls. On the other end of the room was a massive sunken tub that was more like a small swimming pool and had a number of magical faucets to offer different types of bubble bath. It could fit all of them and another dozen guests if they wished. It was also placed in front of a window that covered the entire wall, which Harry made sure to tell them was charmed to be one way only. In the center of the massive space was a sunken seating area with an arrangement of comfortable chairs and divans, as well as a full tea setting. From here ladies could take their tea while waiting for their hair to set or nails to dry, while also exchanging gossip. Hermione for one wasn't a gossip type, but she appreciated the thought that went into the room, while Daphne leaned over and whispered in her ear, wondering who Harry had consulted with on the design. As they moved around the room, Ginny noticed that the elaborate marble floors under foot were heated and at key locations throughout the room heated towel stands offered a constant supply of plush, heated towels at constant readiness. While the bedroom was rich jewel tones, here the colors were more muted, featuring creams, golds, silvers, and bronzes. The look was rich and delicious.

Once everyone had a chance to enjoy the decor, they decided that a mutual shower would be the fastest. As long as they behaved, which they did, although it wasn't easy. Once they were done and dressed in robes, Harry led them back through the bedroom.

"Now, when I was designing this floor, I wanted you each to have your own space. I know we all enjoy our time together, but we are all individuals. I have a dressing room and office off the main bath, but off this end of the bedroom is this hallway. From this hallway you can each access a special space of your own. Each is arranged to look out on either the back or side garden and has enough space for a small sleeping room, an office, a small bath, and a closet dressing room area for each of you. The spaces are rough right now, but the elves have already brought everything from school. Anything else you need from your parents' homes, just let them know. Or anything you need to buy of course. It's a couple of days early, but this is your first Christmas present, you each get to design your private suites. I know the spaces aren't huge, but I cut down the size of the Lord's suite from before since it was really too…"

Anything more Harry was going to say was cut off as he found himself pinned to a wall and being thoroughly snogged in rotation. He felt himself start to rise and thought that these witches really were going to be the death of him. What a way to go though. It was Daphne who called order.

"Ladies, we need to stop. Our first guests arrive in just over a half hour."

Hermione groaned and Tonks mumbled a few choice words, but everyone agreed as they followed the corridor around and each claimed their suite. They were all basically the same size and each was a blank canvas, so there wasn't much to look at for the moment, although each witch began to contemplate what they wanted to do with their space. Harry then returned to his own space and got himself cooled off and dressed quickly. After all their activities the previous day, he couldn't believe how randy he still was. Must be the coven magic. Once he was dressed, he went out to the central living room and waited for everyone else. The coven was all ready and downstairs when the first portkey arrived.

As planned, Sirius was the first to arrive. He had seen the Express gone several hours before, finished the last paperwork for the term, and was happy to be gone for a while. Harry was glad to have him standing behind him for support when the Tonkses arrived next. Andi obviously had a lot of questions, but she accepted a nod from Sirius, offered her bags to Milly, accepted Harry's welcome, and then agreed to wait for everyone else. Immediately after them, Remus arrived, greeting Harry and then embracing Sirius. Xeno Lovegood was the next to arrive and he was in his own world as usual as he stepped aside moments before Amelia arrived. Everyone was chatting companionably when the Grangers' portkey arrived a few minutes later. They obviously were not entirely happy with the method of travel and Harry stepped forward to greet them.

"Hi Neil, hi Jean, welcome back to Potter Manor. You're the last to arrive for a bit. I know everyone has a lot of questions. The elves will take your bags upstairs. You're welcome to go settle upstairs for a bit, or you can join us in the sunroom for refreshments if you like? The rest of our guests will be arriving after they pick up students from the Express. Once they are here, we'll have a full lunch."

"I'm fine Harry, although I'd prefer to avoid another portkey for a bit. I'd forgotten what that felt like. We'll join everyone else."

The group all adjourned to the sunroom, where the unusually sunny December day was perfect for their gathering. The elves served a variety of drinks and small savories as the main topic of discussion was the downfall of Lord Voldemort. That morning's Prophet had featured the first released pictures of Voldemort's corpse, sending the majority of magical Britain into an early holiday celebration. The press was still clamoring for more information about how the actual operation had happened. The Grangers had been sent the news that Voldemort was dead, but not much else and were especially hungry for information from the magical world. As Jean listened to Amelia talk, she also posed questions to her daughter and wasn't happy with the careful responses. Finally, Hermione knew she needed to head her mum off.

"Mum, you'll know everything shortly. Right now you know as much as most of the magical world. Amelia and Sirius know more because she is head of the DMLE. Our next arrivals will be here shortly and then we can tell everyone at once."

Jean pursed her lips and nodded, not happy, but willing to wait a bit longer. She still wasn't sure what was happening with her daughter, Harry, and all these other women. She had a strange suspicion they were all together if the rings they wore were any indication, but she wasn't sure how. Her frustration only lasted another ten minutes when Harry rose and announced that the next arrivals were imminent. The coven all went to the central hall, while their guests stayed in the sunroom.

The three Greengrasses arrived a moment later and Harry greeted them formally as the elves took their bags. Then Harry asked them to step aside just as the Weasley clan began to arrive. Harry wanted Ginny to have her entire family with her for the holiday, even though he knew it wouldn't be easy on himself. That meant that the incoming arrivals included Arthur, Molly, the twins, and Ron. Ginny hoped that Bill might visit on the holiday as well, but that had yet to be decided. As soon as they landed, Molly tried to descend on Harry, but Ginny stepped in front of him.

"Welcome to Potter Manor mother. The rest of the guests have already arrived. I don't know if you've met Lord and Lady Greengrass before?"

Molly realized this was more of a proper social gathering and corrected herself quickly as she accepted formal introductions. She looked a bit crossly at the other witches around Harry, but didn't say anything yet. As Harry led the group toward the sunroom, Ginny let Daphne and Hermione stand by his sides while she fell back between her parents and let the others get well ahead. Her brothers were just in front and she yanked on the back of Ron's robes to keep him close and in earshot.

"Alright Weasleys, listen up, we're pureblood, but we're not exactly known for our social graces. That has to start changing immediately. I am the future Lady Gryffindor and you lot are my family. I love you, warts and all, but I don't need you embarrassing me and my future husband. Ron, are you listening? I need you to think before speaking. Fred, George, pranks are fun, but they have their place. And mum, Harry will be your son-in-law, but he's not your son. He is the lord of three houses and needs to be treated as such. Dad, you are the head of House Weasley and need to remember that you bear the responsibility for the actions of the members of the house. I may be young, but I've been growing up fast and I've been getting more education in house customs lately. Now, you're going to be hearing a lot today and it won't be easy to hear. We're all family. You're free to ask questions, but no exploding and no threats. It won't be taken well if you do. Remember my new family is why we are free of Voldemort now."

Ginny's five family members looked at her, stunned. Even before her last statement, they had been wondering where little their little Gin-Gin had disappeared to. Before them stood the future Lady Gryffindor and she looked quite serious. Molly looked to be near tears, but nodded, while each of the three boys just stared in shock. Arthur gave a bare smile as he whispered 'understood'. Apparently his little girl was a woman now. And she was forcing them all to take notice.

The Weasleys finished their discussion and joined everyone else in the sunroom. The Greengrasses had taken seats and were being served drinks. The Weasleys took seats on one side of the table, while Harry purposefully sat at the head of the table with the six ladies seated immediately to his two sides. He knew everyone would be hungry and decided to focus on lunch first.

"Well, now that everyone is here, let me just say that I am happy to have Potter Manor once again full of life. I know my elves have expressed the same. They certainly went all out with the decorations. This will be the first Christmas I can remember having in a loving home since I don't remember my first Christmas as a baby, my only one with my parents, so I am looking forward to this. I guess I need to make some introductions, and then we can eat and talk a bit more."

"First, I believe everyone here is aware that my full title is Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. Among family I am simply Harry. I know you all took oaths to keep that news quiet, but those oaths won't be needed much longer, since the filings at the Ministry will be public within a week. The reasons I chose to resurrect my other two houses are complex and I will discuss them further later, but let me introduce my ladies. First, my future Lady Potter, Hermione Granger. Her parents are next to her, Neil and Jean Granger, dentists in the muggle world. For those unfamiliar with their trade, they are healers specializing in ailments of the mouth and teeth. Next, my future Lady Gryffindor, Ginevra Weasley, although please call her Ginny or she will scowl at you. Her parents Arthur and Molly from the Lesser House of Weasley are seated over here, along with her brothers Fred, George, and Ron. Next, my future Lady Peverell. Her given name is Nymphadora Tonks, but she prefers to be called just Tonks and her married name will be Tonks Peverell. Her parents are down at the end, Ted and Andromeda Tonks. Andromeda is cousin to my godfather, Lord Sirius Black, who is seated in the center to my right and smirking at me. Seated next to him is a man of no blood relation, but who I look on as an adopted uncle, Remus Lupin."

"Now, I have been blessed with an abundance of riches and have three additional ladies as well. Again, all will be explained in detail later. These three ladies will each be taking a position as consort to one of my three houses, each under a line continuation contract since each are the last of their house lines. First, this is Susan Bones, who will be consort to House Gryffindor. Her aunt is current regent for House Bones, Madam Amelia Bones, Director of the DMLE. She is seated next to Sirius. She has taken on the unenviable task of keeping him in line and they are in courtship. Next on my left is Daphne Greengrass, who will be consort to House Potter. Her parents are seated two down from her, Lord Martin and Lady Cecile Greengrass of the the House of Greengrass. Also seated with them is her younger sister Astoria. Last and certainly not least, this lovely lass is Luna Lovegood, who will be consort to House Peverell. Her father is seated on the other end, Xenophilius Lovegood of the Lesser House of Lovegood. Now, I know there are questions, but please know that contracts are in place for all six ladies. In addition, we are all in love and committed to each other. I hope all of us can use this time during the holiday to begin to come together as a family."

The room descended into silence as Harry gave Winky a signal and the food began to be served. With it, Harry made sure to have a fine selection of light wines available to those who wished them. He noticed quite a few took advantage. Jean especially seemed pleasantly surprised as she sipped a white and soon refilled her glass. Molly immediately tried to question Amelia about the action against Voldemort, but Amelia asked her to desist until after. Others took the hint and kept the conversation to simpler topics. Specifically, school subjects and exams were discussed at length. As part of the discussion, the coven members brought up a few of their ideas about possible changes at the school. Sirius seemed to welcome the ideas. Just in the short time he had been teaching, he had noticed several things that needed updating. The key sticking point seemed to be Dumbledore, who had ruled the school as his private kingdom for too long. Harry thought about bringing up the subject of his title as Lord Gryffindor, but that would have made the discussion more serious than he wished. Instead, he let the conversation drift to talk of plans for the holiday, including the fact that the following day was Christmas Eve and the students still had the majority of their shopping to do. All of the food was excellent and Harry was glad that the diverse group seemed to be doing well together.

As everyone finished and the dishes disappeared, Harry gave instructions to the elves. Dessert was delivered on platters, offering a selection of bite size cakes and tarts. All the drinks were refreshed and everyone was able to take and nibble as they wished. Seeing that a number of his guests were leaning back happily satiated after the meal, Harry knew the time for the full truth had come. He looked around at all of his ladies and they each smiled and nodded. This had been discussed and once again he would lead, as the lord of the manor, although they would contribute during the conversation later on. Taking a deep breath, Harry drew on the coven magic as he looked around the table.

"Alright everyone, I think now is the time for the family to know everything. Thank you for waiting until we had a chance to eat. I personally do better when I'm fueled. As I said before, I consider everyone here at this table family and I hope that you all will come to think the same. If not today, then hopefully soon. And not just in regards to myself or my ladies, but to everyone else here. I know the idea of my taking six wives is unusual and even disturbing for some, especially for the Grangers. I was raised muggle and I am familiar with the taboo against polygamy. There are reasons for each choice that I and all of my ladies have made and I ask that you only listen to everything we have to say before asking questions. None of our decisions were made hastily. I ask the same of you. To begin this, you need a bit of history. Some of this some may know. Then again, you may only know some pieces of what I have to tell you. I now want to give you the full version and ensure you know everything in the full and truthful version. Let me start with the fateful Halloween night when I was fifteen months old…"

Harry proceeded to tell everyone about Voldemort's attack on his parents' home in Godric's Hollow. He went back a bit to explain a bit about the Marauders in school and the later selection of a secret keeper. He allowed Hermione to give the precise description of the Fidelius for her parents. Then he explained the best guess as to what had happened when Voldemort's attack failed. He told them about Dumbledore's actions to remove him and place him with the Dursleys, ignoring his parents' will. That brought a few exclamations and numerous scowls. He noted that Amelia was taking notes. He told them about Sirius and Peter and how Sirius was wrongfully incarcerated. Then he moved forward to tell them about third year and finding out Sirius was innocent before jumping forward again to explain about using his lordship to demand a review of the evidence and his memory to get Sirius a trial, which instead got him an acquittal. Everyone hung on his words, amazed by all that had occurred in such a short span of recent time. Of course, little did they know that Harry was just getting started.

"So, Voldemort attacked me as a baby, but that wasn't his only attempt to get at me. I didn't even know about magic until I was eleven, but I realized within the year that I seemed to have a target painted on me…"

Harry went on to detail his first year at Hogwarts and his battle with a possessed Quirrell over the stone. Then he told them about the Chamber of Secrets in his second year. Next came his fourth year and the cursed tournament. He went into detail about being entered and forced to compete. He went over each task, explaining the first and second, but trying not to dwell too long. Instead, he focused on the third task and what happened when the portkey took him and Cedric to the graveyard. Here his ladies moved closer around him and Luna even perched in his lap as they lent him strength to tell the story once again. He finished with the details about Barty Crouch Junior being found out. The one bright point in the story was when he made up his mind to tell Hermione how he felt. That brought a quick peck from the witch sitting on his side. Then he paused as he prepared to tell them the most difficult part.

"Needless to say at this point I was wrung out. I wasn't showing it, but I was ready to lose it. That's one thing I learned at the Dursleys, how to hide my emotions. Anyway, I confronted Dumbledore, wanting more information. In the past he had given hints that he had more information, but thought I was too young. Well, I had had enough of that. I about lost it and almost tore his office apart with my magic. Gradually I drew the information out of him about why Voldemort targeted me. First there was the prophecy…"

Harry proceeded to give them the details of the circumstances of the prophecy before reciting it and then picking it apart piece by piece to decipher it. Martin Greengrass actually snorted at some of the deciphering. It was obvious he had a similar opinion about divination as Hermione did.

"So, now I knew why he kept coming after me. My next question was what happened on Halloween. Why wouldn't the bastard die? It turns out that Dumbledore had done a lot of research and had a theory. He wasn't completely sure until we returned from the Chamber of Secrets and he actually saw a horcrux…"

That word caused a gasp from Andromeda and Xeno actually looked up at Harry and seemed to momentarily join the same plane of existence as everyone else. It was obvious that some knew what it was. For the others, Harry explained what a horcrux was and Dumbledore's theory about Tom Riddle creating multiple ones. Then Harry paused and once again drew strength from the ladies before delivering the most devastating information.

"The last thing Dumbledore told me was the hardest. He knew I'd always had a strange connection to Voldemort, dreams and such. The scar I received that night always resisted every bit of magical healing. After watching me for a while, he deduced that on Halloween when everything went wrong, Voldemort created an unintentional horcrux-me."

That information was too much and the room erupted. Molly started to wail and made to reach for Harry when Arthur held her back. Andi reached and refilled her wine. Martin looked like he could use something stronger. Harry let the room quiet and decided to settle everyone right away.

"There's more to tell you all, but to reassure you, I'll jump way ahead for just a moment and tell you that the horcrux that was in me is now gone and I am fine. See my scar? It's already fading and it's only been a day. Now, there's a lot more in between, but I didn't want you worrying anymore. I've been doing a lot of the talking though and I'm going to let Hermione take over for a bit."

Luna moved off Harry's lap and went to get him a fresh chilled butterbeer while he grabbed a couple of tarts. Everyone else selected a few items as Hermione began telling her part.

"So, it was the end of the tournament and we had a few days of school left. My best friend was now my boyfriend, which I was thrilled with. I had realized I was falling in love with Harry a couple of years before. We were both scared to say anything for fear of ruining our friendship. When Dumbledore told him everything, it was with the caveat that he learn Occlumency to protect his thoughts by the end of summer. He was allowed to tell just one other person, me. I had to learn Occlumency also. Of course, once I heard about the horcruxes, I was distraught. The only known way to destroy a horcrux is with a couple of kinds of powerful magical venom or with fiendfyre. Of course, neither was an option for a horcrux stuck in Harry's head. Dumbledore loaned me some books from his personal library and I was on a mission to save my man. Later during the summer, we visited Sirius at his ancestral home and I found some additional research material there."

"After reading more on horcruxes, I theorized that they are the essence of hate and death, so I focused on the opposite, on love and life. My research led me to a specific branch of magic, sex magic. It didn't take long before that research focused on covens, since their specialty is sex magic. And I can see that the pieces are clicking into place for everyone now. Please remember what Harry asked before and keep an open mind until we are done. I know that covens have a bad reputation in the magical world. I found plenty of books that raved against them, but when I researched the history, I could find nothing evil or criminal to cause the reputation. There are no laws against them. As I dug through history, I found that they were more common up until around the mid 17th century. Around that time, several prominent historians basically trashed them. I could find no reason for this except that covens are usually primarily female and quite powerful. They also inherently promote lesbian relationships, which have been persecuted for millennia within our world."

"A key example of this persecution is the case of Bartholomew Barge, a renowned sorcerer of that time. He was a 'most learned man' who was 'sought for guidance in matters most troublesome'. There was an ongoing drought in Shropshire that was marking its third year in 1682 and Barge was called in by several prominent land owners and paid handsomely to conduct rituals to resolve the issue. Two days after he began, he claimed success when a light drizzle began to fall. Then it ceased after just over an hour. He performed the ritual again with two assistants, pouring so much magic into the ritual that he was unconscious for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, no more rain. He slipped out of town the next day, leaving the disgruntled landowners behind. After another dry month, they were desperate and called in a coven of sixteen witches. A coven can be any number over three, although some numbers are more powerful. It also can consist of witches, wizards, or a mixture. Anyway, the coven performed three sex magic rites at three points, forming a triangle to cover the region. Two days later the rain started. It rained for a week, stopped for two days, and rained for another week. A month later they returned and did the rite again with the same result. The crop that year was actually a bit above average. Barge was already in the process of writing a magical history text even before he had been hired. When it was published at the end of that year, it featured an entire chapter disparaging the unnatural and evil magic of the coven. Barge's history was well received and reprinted several times. Two years later, he was Minster of Magic and further spread his ideas. That is just one example."

Hermione paused to sip her butterbeer and accepted a bite of tart that Daphne offered her.

"Anyway, I determined that a coven held the potential solution to the horcrux issue and focused my research there. While doing so, I honestly had to begin analyzing my own feelings about sharing Harry. When he turned fifteen and claimed his title as Lord Potter, he was informed of the two extinct houses he could resurrect. That offered intriguing possibilities. I found one ritual in particular that would allow for the purification of dark magic and there was a feedback addition that I thought would allow the horcrux in Harry's scar to be used as a beacon to find the other horcruxes. The ritual was most successful on the solstices and equinoxes, but still would require a lot of power and this brought me back to the same question. I decided that I thought it might work and brought the idea to Harry. He was dubious to put it mildly, but was willing to give it a try with one other if I really wanted. He made it clear that I would take the lead on this as his future Lady Potter. Even before the official betrothal, he made his intention clear. I decided to talk to Ginny, as I knew she had an attraction to Harry. Also, although Harry was my first serious boyfriend, Ginny and I had had a brief relationship the year before. So, shortly after Harry's birthday, Ginny joined us and we began the tentative steps at testing a multiple relationship. While we had a few things to work out, it actually went well and I started to consider who else might work for a future coven. I also needed to think on how many would be ideal for the final coven. The number I decided on was seven total, the most powerful magical number. That meant six witches and Harry. Over the summer I arranged different social events that included a number of potential witches, while also mixing in wizards as well to keep the groups balanced. While we were having a fun summer, I was watching how each person got on with Harry. By the time school began, Daphne and Luna had joined our group as well."

Now Hermione paused to give everyone a chance to assimilate everything they had been inundated with up until that point. She looked at her parents and saw recognition dawning about what they had seen happening over the summer. Hermione looked to Susan and she nodded and decided to take over.

"I'll give Hermione a break here. I was the next to join the coven a few weeks into the school year. When Hermione approached me with the idea, I was shocked and unsure to say the least. I thought about it for a few days and reviewed some of the research materials Hermione had. As a pureblood, I had heard of covens and the prejudices around them. I soon learned to discard that. My reason for deciding to give it a try was two-fold. One, I had a bit of a crush on Harry, like half the female population of the school. Two, I knew I wanted a line continuation contract so that I could continue the House of Bones. I figured if Harry had other wives, he would be alright with me being a consort. Of course, when I first joined, that was well in the future. We all acknowledged where we may be heading, but we knew it would require work. Hermione did a good job screening and selecting us. She knows Harry better than anyone and she is a good judge of people, but maintaining a multiple partner relationship takes work. The developing coven often studied together in smaller groups or as a whole. We also met in the Room of Requirement for private dinners at least two nights a week. Saturday nights were our special nights when we spent most of the night there. For those who don't know, the Room of Requirement is an amazing part of Hogwarts, a room that is only available when requested and can be anything you ask it to be. A French restaurant, a beach, a perfectly designed ritual glade, anything. You pace in the corridor in front of it three times, with a clear image of what you want in mind. Anyway, Harry also made a point of paying special attention to each individual. Dobby helped with that. One of the hard parts of this was keeping it a secret from the school. Dobby would apparate one of us out to the far side of the lake to meet Harry and then cast an elf disillusionment charm that would allow for us to go for a walk without being noticed. Or Dobby would make a special meal for Harry and one of us alone in the kitchens. Small things that could be done at the school. He really was amazingly thoughtful and it was easy to start falling in love with him."

Susan paused and Luna decided to add her perspective.

"One of my special nights with Harry was at the top of the astronomy tower. Although we had dinner together at the Gryffindor table, he couldn't pay me special attention and I was there as a friend of Ginny's. After dinner Dobby took us up the Astronomy tower and there was a blanket laid out with warming charms and rose petals. For dessert Harry had arranged for Dobby to make me seven different flavors of pudding, all served in crystal bowls. Pudding's my favorite."

Everyone smirked at Luna's dreamy expression and Hermione decided to take back over.

"So, by a month or so into the school year, we had six of the coven in place. We were still working on the details of the ritual while building our bond. We also still had to find our seventh. I had a thought that Tonks would fit well all the way back in summer, but we had a complication when Umbridge was arrested and Tonks became our substitute professor. I obviously couldn't initiate anything while she was working in an official capacity. After a few weeks, Sirius was hired and Tonks went back to being an Auror. She still trained us in Occlumency once or twice a week. That was something that each new member had to agree to so that the secrets of the prophecy and horcruxes could be protected. One night when she was in the castle, I approached her with the idea of becoming our seventh member. She was stunned and took some time to consider it before accepting after Harry and I overrode her arguments. Once she was part of the coven, she made a point of trying to be available at least for our Saturday nights, plus her other visits. It became obvious quite soon that our seven pieces were meshing well."

"By the start of November, we began to prepare specific details for the ritual. With the purification ritual, it is critical that all participants be clear of any corrupting factors. That meant that those of us on six month contraception potions had to take an antidote, which I worked on brewing. No outside charms could be used during the ritual, so we worried about the risk of pregnancy and carefully looked at everyone's cycles. For those who would be close to their fertile time, in mid-November they started potions to adjust their cycles. We also began to order some of the special herbs and other supplies we would need. Finally, in early December Harry was busy with the legal aspects, hiring a solicitor, and putting all the contracts in place. A few days before he met with the solicitor, we had a final meeting and everyone voiced a few small concerns before reaffirming that this was what they wanted. We also thought from a few comments and evasive answers, that Harry may be planning something special like rings and the six of us decided we wanted Harry to have a ring as well. Little did we know that the goblins worked behind our backs and the same craftsman did all the rings, keeping Harry's a secret from him and ours a secret from us. Those were commissioned at the end of the first week of December. From that point it was a countdown to the solstice, as well as exams."

At this point Tonks took a turn since she had the information from the Auror department.

"On the Tuesday prior to the solstice, the DMLE conducted a raid with a permit to search Malfoy Manor. It appeared to have been Voldemort's base, but had been evacuated. A few were left behind and one of those was questioned and gave us a lead on where the new base was, a historical property of the Yaxleys up in the Orkneys. Amelia had authorized me to pass along information to Harry months before at his request due to him being a regular target of Voldemort. Anyway, we all felt the information was a good opportunity, if the location could be confirmed. By Wednesday the confirmation was complete and we knew where Voldemort was based and that he wasn't likely to move by the time of the solstice on Friday. We thought that if we could destroy his horcruxes it would hopefully weaken him and open the way for an attack by the DMLE. Amelia and Sirius met with us on Wednesday and she has known much of this since then. I know it was a surprise she wasn't happy with, but she agreed to be open minded and focus on Voldemort. Obviously that worked. With the combined effort of the coven, the DMLE, and some outside contractors, Voldemort was taken down with relatively little fuss and no casualties on our side."

Tonks stopped and everyone was still looking on in stunned amazement. It was Cecile who broke the silence.

"That's a lot to understand. Can we ask questions now?"

Daphne nodded to her mum and Cecile continued.

"I think I understand a bit. You used this sex magic purification ritual to find and destroy the horcruxes, but how did that work? How did it defeat the Dark Lord himself?"

Daphne looked to Hermione, who gestured back to her.

"It's quite complicated mum, but basically we set ourselves in a sacred circle with a sequence of runes drawn based on the compass points. Also, remember we were in a highly magical castle that is built at the junction of several ley lines. Harry is in the center and we all surround him with a focused ritual chant, then we place our hands over his scar and focus our magic through it. One person takes the lead to follow the energy from the scar outward to its brother pieces. As the magic grows, it needs to be harnessed and one of us takes the sex focus and engages with Harry while the others stand around and continue chanting. The strength of the sex is linked to the strength of the magic, which is needed to find these well hidden objects. Once one is found, the coven opens their focus and pours all their love and pleasure outward into the vile object, destroying it. The person who has that focus briefly sees the object and where it is. Once it's destroyed, the chant is gradually diminished and the magic is allowed to wane for a bit. Harry purifies once again and then we search for another. Finally, after the last is found, rather than sending the love and pleasure out, we focused it into Harry's scar to destroy the last horcrux. Finding the other horcruxes was painful for him, but the last was excruciating."

"At least I had the blood protection. I don't know that I would have managed if I hadn't had that."

Everyone looked at Harry questioning and Hermione sighed. She knew this was going to be awkward.

"Look everyone, we've already told you almost everything so we might as well tell you this as well. Yes it's awkward, but we don't regret any of it. While we were researching the ritual, we realized that Harry would be in a lot of pain and that he could even be potentially injured during the ritual. Obviously this wasn't acceptable and soon we found a solution via another coven ritual. The blood of a virgin that has been ritually deflowered has strong protective properties. Daphne found one record where the blood of two virgins was mixed for extra protections. We found out early on that we had three virgins among our group and were very careful to keep them as such. Early in the morning, well before the time of the solstice, we conducted an additional ritual where each of the three virgins was ritually deflowered and some of the virgin blood was collected. Three of course is a powerful number arithmetically. When we prepared for the main purification ritual, two runes were painted on Harry's chest using the mixed blood. It was because of these that Harry was kept from serious injury."

Hermione looked around the table and the group looked beyond stunned at the deluge of information. The ritual deflowering of three virgins seemed to have taken them over the edge. She looked at her own mum and Jean's eyes were vacant. She knew she had to get this back under control.

"Alright, that is more than anyone probably wanted to know. Like I said, coven magic has great power when used properly. You can obviously see why Victorian England would frown on such practices. Anyway, it was worth it to destroy the soul of the greatest dark wizard our world has ever known. Once we knew all the horcruxes were gone, we sent Dobby to Amelia's staging area in the Orkneys to tell her it was complete and to commence her attack. Amelia, can you…"

Hermione paused as Ron slowly raised his hand and began to sputter.

"I can't...no...you...no..."

Ginny shook her head as she looked at her brother.

"What Ron? Are you thinking this was just some fun orgy and boom, no more Voldemort? What you don't know is that there is much more to coven magic. There was all the research that Hermione did at first, and then the research once the coven was formed to determine the precise details of the ritual. Once we got closer to the time of the solstice, every one of us had to learn the chants of the rituals in the Old English dialect that they originated in. Hermione and Daphne are our rune experts, with Susan assisting them, and they had to learn the complex rune structures for both the glade and the protection runes for Harry. All of this had to be memorized so that they could be done without second thought once the ritual was begun. At several points the runes had to refreshed. And when you are in mid rite and the magic is flowing through you, it is only because you have been practicing and studying the ancient texts for months that you can remember what you need. A week before the solstice, we all began to restrict our diets, including no sweets or processed foods. We bathed twice a day with specially prepared soaps and oils, and our baths included minor rituals of cleansing that were leading up to the main purification rite. We were awake hours before anyone else on the solstice, eating a meal with ancient significance that was meant to purify us internally while providing the nourishment we needed before going through individual purification before the rituals. So banish all thoughts you have of some orgiastic party. This was a scholarly endeavor of love that was well planned and executed. Now, Amelia, I believe you were going to give us more details on the raid?"

Ron's hand had fallen back to the table and all of Ginny's family stared at her. Molly especially looked at her daughter with a new contemplation. Meanwhile, across the table, Amelia decided to take over from the long silence.

"Well, as Hermione said, we were waiting for the confirmation from Dobby. I don't have to tell you that those were some long hours. He finally arrived shortly before noon and said that everything was a success and we were a go. As part of my own planning after I had been told about the horcruxes and coven, I coordinated with Gringotts for ward breakers, as well as with a highly placed muggle consultant who has magical relatives. When the goblin High Council heard that horcruxes were being used, they authorized more of their ward breakers, as well as their specialized rune stones. This assured that Voldemort's wards would come down quickly. My muggle specialist was a single individual with a weapon called an RPG, a rocket propelled grenade. Basically think of it as a projectile weapon that can hit a building like a blasting hex times a hundred or even a thousand at a range of a 100 meters."

"Damn."

"Precisely Mr. Weasley. Some may criticize me for using muggle weapons, but I will use whatever is necessary. I paired my specialist with a junior Auror who apparated him to different locations. Early in the morning they had scouted and identified spots that they wanted to hit. Anyway, Voldemort did a damn good job putting up wards fast. I wouldn't be surprised if he sacrificed a couple of followers to charge them. Given another month of charging and they would have been a nightmare. If we didn't have the intel we had early on, he would have had the time he needed. Anyway, even with the wards being what they were, it had only been a few days and the goblins gave us the best they had, including your brother as the lead of the ward breaker team. As soon as the wards were down, I had my specialist firing his RPG weapon at the keep. He has used the weapon against modern concrete buildings and knew it could punch a hole in them. He expected about the same at the keep. Apparently an old stone and mortar keep that hasn't been kept under repair much lately is a bit more fragile and the rounds did significantly more damage. The junior Auror I paired him with popped him to two other sites and he launched a total of three rounds into the keep. Then he fired one last round that was a bit different. At this point the Death Eaters were scrambling. We had put down anti-apparition wards, so a bunch of Death Eaters decided to run for it and were in the keep courtyard. The RPG weapon can have different warheads loaded into it and when my specialist saw everyone running around like chickens in the courtyard, he fired something called a fragmentation warhead into the middle of them. Basically it lands and fragments, shooting shrapnel everywhere and shredding anybody and anything in its path. We're still trying to piece together how many were in the courtyard at the time. We may never know."

"Bloody hell."

"George!"

"Sorry mum."

"Anyway, the ward breakers and muggle specialist were phases one and two. Squads of Aurors were phase three. In actuality, I guess I should add a number to all those since phase one was actually the coven. We now know that from the time the coven started their work shortly after nine in the morning, Voldemort went into some kind of 'fit'. He tried to call his followers and punish them for not helping, but couldn't even manage that. Apparently the tie he had through the horcrux in Harry allowed him to feel the love and pleasure of the coven and that was as good as poison to him. Someone was bright enough to call for Severus Snape, who tried standard pain potions for his master, to no avail. Then he tried some more advanced potions. He managed to provide a bit of relief, but the most Voldemort managed was a very minor five second cruciatus cast. Seeing their master incapacitated made his followers wary and unsure. He had several campaigns planned for the solstice that were put on hold while everyone tried to figure out what to do. Shortly before noon, Voldemort lapsed into a coma. Severus couldn't bring him around and moved him off his throne and to a bedroom. At that point, some of his followers began to argue among themselves about who should take command. Given that Snape hasn't been found, he must have fled not long after. We know from a few captured eyewitnesses that some had portkeys and left. Others who tried to apparate found out about the anti-apparition wards and that caused more chaos apparently. When the building shook when the first RPG hit, any attempt by any of the remaining Death Eaters to take control was over. At that point it was chaos and every man and woman for themselves. The total raid from the time of taking the wards down until we had the last room clear took forty minutes. Total time of action was maybe half that. Total injuries for the Aurors are six. All will be back to work by next week. The entire operation was a massive success and combined effort. First and foremost though, if Voldemort had been conscious and able to direct his forces, we never would have come out of this unscathed. Not to mention the issue of the horcruxes."

The room was silent as everyone finally understood the import of what these seven young people had done. Sirius was the first to raise his glass in a silent toast. Everyone else followed suit, some a bit slowly and some with shaky hands, but all thankful that the Potter Coven had done what they'd done.


	22. Christmas

Chapter 22 – Christmas

After everyone downed their drinks post toast, the group grew quiet after a the long and difficult discussion. It was Andi Tonks who broke the silence.

"Well, I can't say any of this is easy to accept. I guess what is most important is that my Dora seems happy. And of course what the seven of you have done is remarkable. I have to ask what your plans are now? Are there any side effects from the ritual? Is there a bond? I've heard a bit about covens, but I can't remember a lot."

"We're still deciding on plans mum. As for long term effects, there is a coven bond. We can cast the spell to show everyone. Gringotts will have it on record, but the Ministry doesn't recognize it. I would bet a paycheck that the Unspeakables have a record of it somewhere, not that they would talk. We're all still a bit tired and our magic is still adjusting. Harry of course has the biggest adjustment. The horcrux was a parasite. With it removed, he will be much stronger magically. Considering his strength before, that could be scary. All of us though will probably see some growth magically. It's normal in an established coven bond, and ours is quite bright. Hermione, Daph, one of you want to give it a go?"

Daphne nodded and cast the bond spell, looping her arm around to encompass all seven of the coven. The unique, bright blue-white light emanated from each of them and then gradually diminished. Molly gasped, while Cecile was quite pale. Amelia voiced what the others were thinking.

"Well that should put paid to any doubts. The color is unique, but with that strength, the bond is obvious. So, all of you have seen changes to your magic? How long do you expect before it settles?"

"Yes. Truthfully, it's a bit annoying. I summoned a towel earlier and ended up whipping Luna with it by accident. We honestly don't know how much and for how long. We're glad we had exams done and have two weeks off of school. Hopefully it'll calm down by then."

"One thing I do know that I am going to do is to exercise my rights as Lord Gryffindor and request that Gryffindor's apartment be opened to me. I'm going to send McGonagall a letter as soon as news of the titles is public. That will allow us to reside together."

"Will that be allowed? I mean before you're married? I mean you're bonded, but still, it's not a recognized bond. What will you tell people?"

"Lady Greengrass, this is something that is important that needs to be made clear for all the parents here. Mr. Lovegood already knows since Luna has spoken to her father. We do not mean to hide under a rock. Covens were persecuted for no good reason and we intend to change that. Our coven helped to defeat Voldemort. Certainly that shows that the unique power of coven magic can be used for good. It is our intention to provide an interview to Mr. Lovegood's publication, The Quibbler, two days after the holiday. I know he didn't realize what the article was about, but had given Luna the approval to write a front page headline in that edition. I believe it was a Christmas present request. I hope now that he knows what the article will contain that he will not have an issue with the content?"

Xeno focused on Harry for the first time that afternoon and then looked to his daughter.

"What? No. Luna is an excellent writer. The coven is quite fascinating. Perhaps an increased printing."

"Thank you Mr. Lovegood. So, that's our first plan. Complete honesty. With our bond then known, and with my title as Lord Gryffindor, even Albus Dumbledore will have a difficult time denying my special accommodations request. After that, we have a few ideas for improvements at the school. Then we take things as they come. This is OWL year for four of us, so we'll be quite busy. That's the immediate plans for the future."

Molly had been looking around the group and wringing her hands. For her, she had been unusually reserved, but now she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Ginevra, really? I know you love Harry and what you've done is fantastic, but to get involved in all this? And now to publicize it? What will people think? What will they think of us?"

"Mum, you can't have it both ways. You think what I've done is fantastic, but can't understand how I've gotten involved in all this? The two are one and the same. As for what people think? My concern is to change their thoughts. Look at where the pureblood ideals have put us. As for the Weasley family, I would think that my future as Lady Gryffindor, member of the Potter Coven, lifts the status of our family significantly. Father, as head of House Weasley, do you have any concerns?"

Arthur paled. He wasn't often called to officially take control of his house. He was still reeling from much of what he had heard today. Still, Harry would treat Ginny well and she was happy. And this coven had already achieved something incredible.

"No Ginny, I do not have any concerns. I am quite pleased with your alliances and your betrothal. Molly, you will desist from further condemnation, as our daughter brings no shame on our house. Do you understand?"

Molly looked to her husband, stunned to see him stand up to her for a change. She gave him an affirmative and sat back in her chair, remaining quiet for the rest of the time. Their sons all looked to their parents, equally stunned at the display.

With the tension in the air fluctuating back down, Harry sat back as he looked around the table.

"Well then, we'll of course answer questions as they come up, but are there any more right now?"

"Just one, Ginny mentioned the Potter Coven. Is that what you're calling your family?"

"Yes. We talked about if we wanted a name for the coven or not, whether it was needed. We decided it was better to make the choice ourselves than have it made for us. While my full title is Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, that's more than a mouthful. In simplified business dealings that don't specifically deal with one of my other houses, I will prefer to just be called Lord Potter. I still consider my primary house to be House Potter. Although only two of my ladies will be bonded to that house, we have decided to call the coven after my primary house. It's more for simplicity's sake."

A few nodded, but then there were no more additional questions, so Harry rose and offered the group a tour of the manor. In actuality, the tour was of most of the manor, as the third floor was skipped. Harry preferred to keep that private for now. Everyone was quite impressed and the tour ended with each person being shown to their rooms. Later that afternoon, those that wanted all went for a fly to look around the outside of the estate.

After a non-formal dinner in the formal dining room that evening, the newly minted extended family adjourned to the large game room on the first floor and spent the evening relaxing with libations and a variety of activities. The game room featured both a billiards and a snooker table, several dart boards, two poker tables, and several more game tables. Martin gave Harry his Christmas gift early, an impressive crate featuring all of the award-winning liqueurs from Roggenwolf for the past twenty-five years. Molly and Jean looked less than impressed, but withheld their comments. Harry was quite grateful and enjoyed his present in moderation. By the end of the evening, all the mothers were happy to see everyone relaxed, but fully in control of themselves. The games went until close to midnight when everyone made their way to their different quarters.

The following morning came too early considering the previous late evening, but an owl had arrived the previous afternoon from Ragnok, in reply to Harry's letter. The coven had an appointment first thing in the morning and then the entire extended family had shopping expeditions since it was Christmas Eve. The coven enjoyed a quick shower in their magnificent bath and then were downstairs for a hearty but somewhat rushed breakfast with their guests. Harry then left Sirius as his proxy to take care of the extended family while he and the ladies floo'd to the Leaky Cauldron at half past seven. The rest of the shoppers would follow in an hour. Security was a concern and all wands were out, with Tonks taking the lead, but the early hour found a sleepy Diagon Alley and they were soon presenting themselves at Gringotts.

When Harry made his way to the welcome desk, he straightened his robes and briefly rubbed his signets as he took a calming breath. He was amazed and grateful to Dobby that he had managed during the night to have a set of dress robes altered to include all three crests in a triumvirate pattern, with the Potter crest at the apex. He had barely reached the welcome desk with his phalanx of witches around him when the welcome goblin whispered to an associate who scrambled off. Barely a minute later, the coven was being escorted through the back halls of the bank to meet with Ragnok.

While Harry had been to Silverclaw's office on a number of occasions, Ragnok's office didn't even compare. It was massive in scale, with the desk set on a dais and a ring of seating set in a sunken gallery below. The wall behind featured enough weapons to outfit an army, as well as several impressive pieces of armor. Nothing was as impressive as the goblin who was seated at the desk. Even dressed in a suit, he radiated power. He may now be a diplomat and leader, but there was no doubt that Ragnok was first and foremost a warrior. He waved one hand and seven chairs arranged themselves in the gallery in front of himself. Harry stepped forward and saw that each of the ladies were seated before addressing his host.

"Thank you for seeing us at this early hour Director Ragnok. I could introduce each of my ladies, but I feel certain that Gringotts records have already provided you with the intelligence as to who they are and the titles they will hold."

Ragnok nodded and regarded the young lord carefully.

"Indeed Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. The registering of your coven bond was made on Friday morning, not long before the incident and the later arrival of your letter. Welcome to all of you. Please, feel free to sit my lord."

Harry nodded in thanks and sat between his ladies.

"Now then, Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, when your letter was received it alleviated quite a bit of concern. For that you have my thanks. Gringotts immediately investigated the information you provided and, upon entering the Lestrange vault, found significant damage. Apparently your destruction of the horcrux was magnified by the fact that the Lestranges had a number of illegal protection spells on the contents of their vault. It took the better part of a day, but the remains have been sorted through. The item you described was located and a residue of the taint was found on it. I cannot give the details, but I can tell you that these soul containers, what you know as horcruxes, are one of these most despised pieces of magic to my people. Their destruction is always of foremost importance when we learn of one. That is why we provided the support to the DMLE against Voldemort. The High Council met last night after the item was located and your story was confirmed, and you and your bondmates have been cleared of any wrongdoing. In addition, the Lestrange vault has been deemed forfeit. Anything that could be recovered has been and will be converted to monetary value. The current estimate is approximately 1.7 million gallons. Gringotts will collect a twenty percent transaction fee and the rest of value will be transferred to you once the amount is known. Now, that is the official business that I was requested to relay to you, but I would like to ask out of more personal curiosity if you could give me a bit more detail on how you managed to locate and destroy these items from a remote location? I don't need precise details, but this is a feat that is quite astounding and has never been recorded by our people before."

Harry took a moment to assimilate all that as he looked back and forth between each of his ladies. A few whispers and then he looked back at Ragnok.

"First Director Ragnok, we all thank you for your understanding in this manner and are glad there was no lasting damage to the wards or to the vault. As for the money, I don't want it, but I will think of something proper that the Lestrange riches can be used for. As for the details about the ritual that destroyed the horcrux, I am going to let several of my ladies speak. My future Lady Potter, Hermione, will begin. Then my future Lady Gryffindor, Ginny, and my future consort to House Peverell, Luna, will add some additional information."

Harry looked to his right and Hermione took over. The others added information, as did Daphne briefly at one point. They gave a very abbreviated version, taking just under a half hour. Hermione also offered to send Ragnok a copy of her notes, which he graciously accepted. As they finished, he appeared to be smiling.

"Well Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, I must say that is most astounding. You have done the world a great service. I know that when I talk to the High Council, as well as some of the elders, they will be most fascinated. Now then, there is one last piece of business. Normally Silverclaw would handle this, but it should be simple. While the Ministry doesn't recognize your coven bond, Gringotts does. Currently each of your ladies has an allowance account. Many purebloods choose to keep their wives on allowance. You can continue this, or all of the ladies can be added to your combined account. As far as the bank is concerned, you are all bonded now."

"Really? Yes, please add them all onto the main account…"

"Harry…"

"Susan, we're bonded, Ministry be damned. This will make things much simpler. Especially for Christmas shopping."

"Indeed. Alright, I have the forms here for you to sign. I assume by your comment about Christmas shopping that bank cards for each of you would be helpful today?"

Harry grinned and nodded at Ragnok. The Director turned in his chair and spoke into a grate in the wall. He was happy to provide this courtesy to the young lord and his unique family after the monumental service they had performed, not to mention the fact that Lord Potter was always fair and gracious in his dealings with Gringotts. A few minutes later, a young goblin arrived and delivered the cards. Ragnok handed them out.

"Well then, here you all are. These cards can be magically scanned by wand, or work in muggle machines. We have a cooperation agreement with the Bank of England, so they work anywhere."

Each of the ladies took a card and Harry grinned as he heard Susan almost squeal. All of his ladies looked thrilled. He grinned at Ragnok, who recognized the look of gratitude. Everyone then stood and said their goodbyes before leaving the bank. It had only been a bit over an hour, but it had been a momentous hour.

Once again, Tonks took the lead as they left the bank. There was a bit more of a crowd and Harry was recognized as usual, but the crowds were just starting to pick up. They reached the Leaky and met up with the rest of the family. Seeing the large group, Tom waved them to the back room. Once there, they held a planning session and split into various groups. Predictably, Hermione pulled out a notebook and sketched a schedule that saw the groups shift between groups of men and women, muggle and magical. Lunch was planned for one. Security was always a concern, with those underage being unable to cast. Amelia had to check in at the office and left the group as the planning was beginning, but promised to rejoin for lunch and afternoon shopping. Harry was a bit baffled and decided to just go where he was pointed. Before they left the back room, he pulled all his ladies into a brief huddle.

"Alright my loves, this is my first real Christmas and our first Christmas as a family. We don't need to be ostentatious, but if you see something you know someone will really like, then go for it. Remember that I'm filthy rich and most of the year we'll be stuck at school unable to spend the money. Have fun."

Harry grinned as he got six very appreciative kisses. His last was cut short by his godfather.

"Oi you lot! Enough of that, we ain't got all day. Geez, think you'd had enough."

Harry flipped Sirius off, earning a smack in the back of the head from an unidentified witch as the group dispersed. Harry's first designated group was with the Greengrasses, Grangers, and Lovegoods to catch a taxi to Harrods for some muggle shopping. The expedition was only a planned three hours before the groups switched off and Harry found himself back in Diagon Alley. The three hours was a whirlwind. No one should ever be asked to cover Harrods in that amount of time, especially with four witches who considered the store as magical as anything they had ever seen in their own world. For Harry it was a blur as he shopped for those he wasn't with. Then he had a brief stint in Diagon before lunch, followed by another two hours in Diagon after, followed by another hour at Harrods with just the guys at the end of the day to shop for some of those that had been with him on the first trip. Thankfully, the day was made easier as each dip back into the magical world allowed them to call for an elf to take packages back to the manor. Jean Granger thought this was cheating, as dragging a plethora of bags down the street was supposed to be part of the holiday, but Harry was fine to miss it. The group finally all returned to the manor shortly before seven.

The exhausted group was greeted by happy elves and delicious smells as everyone happily kicked off their various footwear and fell into their seats at the dinner table. It had been a long and busy time since lunch and everyone knew they still had work to do that night.

After lingering over dinner for an hour, the extended family all separated to attend to their purchases. The Greengrasses and Boneses were used to having the elves wrap their gifts, but the others insisted that was half the fun. A compromise was reached due to the late hour when Harry conversed with Milly and the elf was able to give a half hour class in magical gift wrapping. It still meant that a bit of effort had to be put into selecting paper, bows, and accessories, but the tedious cutting, taping, and the rest was eliminated. Hermione still looked like it was a bit of a letdown, but she admitted that she was too tired to argue. Even Jean and Neil accepted her and several other's help with their gift wrapping so that the large tree in the family room was festooned with all of its gifts by shortly after ten that evening.

The entire extended family were saying their goodnights by the tree when Sirius and Amelia joined them after returning from a walk outdoors. The two were grinning and Harry raised an eyebrow at his godfather, who appeared to have been hit with a cheering charm. Sirius pulled Amelia tightly to his side as he addressed the entire group.

"Before everyone heads off for bed, we have an announcement! I just asked the lovely Madam Bones to marry me and she has consented!"

The room erupted in congratulations. Susan pushed through the crowd and went to embrace her aunt before then pulling Sirius into the hug. Harry decided this called for a toast and had Milly bring out the oldest of his liqueurs that had yet to be opened. Everyone happily took a glass as they prepared to toast the happy couple. As he made to hand Amelia hers, she desisted.

"Actually, we have one other announcement. I'm going to forego the toast. You probably hadn't noticed I bypassed earlier. We found out last week that I'm expecting. I'm due at the end of August. That was another reason why I was in the rear squad of Aurors on the raid."

That news quieted the group, while Susan looked especially stunned. Then she started crying. Daphne had the forethought to take the glass of expensive alcohol from her hand as she went back to embrace her aunt.

"Really auntie? But…I thought…you couldn't? And you were the one who gave me the long talk about being careful!"

Amelia blushed and smiled up at Sirius before looking back at her niece.

"Yes, well, I was told when I was teenager that I had physical issues and would never be a mother. It was why a betrothal contract was never written for me. I was never sought after. I may have been pureblood, but I was damaged goods. I saw another healer in my twenties when I was in a relationship and was told again that it was unlikely. That relationship ended and I gave up. The healers think that when I was in the hospital for the extended stay after I was injured during that botched arrest a few years back that they repaired more than they intended. Of course that's just a guess. Anyway, I am obvious proof that you should be careful no matter what you think. Anyway, we're both thrilled."

"Well, of course I'm happy for you both auntie. So, will this baby be a Black?"

"Yes Susan, my child with be the heir to House Black. Perhaps children if we are so lucky. Your children will still carry on the Bones line."

"Well, congratulations Amelia. So this baby will be my godbrother or godsister, as well as my cousin-in-law? Ugh, that's confusing. I think I'll just stick with calling everyone family."

"Here, here!"

Everyone joined Remus' salute and raised their glasses as they drank in congratulations of the double announcement. Then everyone said their goodnights and dispersed around the manor. By the time the coven members reached the third floor after the long day, they were all happy to change quickly, fall into the large bed, cuddle, and fall asleep.

Christmas morning came early for the coven when several members woke like excited children ready for the holiday. One who also woke wasn't near as excited. Hermione groaned and moved over Daphne as she made her way to the loo. Sensing something was wrong, Daphne followed. As soon as she reached the large bath, she heard the sounds of retching. Winky had heard as well and had arrived to help her mistress, bringing a cool cloth and glass of water. Daphne came up behind her and rubbed Hermione's back.

"Something didn't sit well from dinner last night? Or is it your time of the month?"

"I don't know Daph. Dinner was wonderful. You saw me eat two plates worth. I took the potion to adjust my cycle, but I should be due today. I should actually start spotting this morning. I know, not great on Christmas, but it was the best I could do. Those potions really did a number on me. My boobs have been really sore. Which is bad, because normally I like to have them played with."

Hermione stood and Daphne wiped her face, contemplating what Hermione had said. Did she really want to mention this on Christmas?

"What's on your mind Daph? You're thinking too hard for this early in the morning."

"Um, well, it may be nothing."

Hermione stopped and pulled Daphne around, holding her by the shoulders and giving her a knowing look. Daphne sighed. Hermione knew her too well.

"Look Hermione, I may be wrong. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to talk about it."

"Right, like I could wait now after you said that."

"Damn, alright. Look, I know it's unlikely, but could you be pregnant?"

"What? It's only been three days."

"Actually, it may not have been from the solstice. You've been off the potion for a good five weeks before that Hermione."

Ginny had joined the group and walked by them to use the loo as she added to the conversation.

"But we used the charm…which is not as effective as the potion…especially in some people…damn."

Hermione began to mutter to herself, but gradually was coming to the same conclusion and went to sit on an upholstered divan that was in a sunken seating area in the center of the bathroom.

"Alright, so how do I know? Is the apothecary even open?"

Winky was nearby and stepped forward.

"Missus, Winky can help. Some shops have elves who can assist customers during off hours. Winky knows of an apothecary with an elf. What would missus like Winky to purchase?"

Daphne lit up and knelt down to talk to the elf.

"This is a great help Winky. We might as well get a pack of the tests. They last a year as I remember, so a three pack of pregnancy test potions. Also, probably two months of pregnancy sickness potions. Sound alright Hermione?"

Hermione waved her hand, still in shock and willing to let Daphne take over. The elf nodded and popped out to do her mistress' bidding. Ginny came over and sat down with them while they waited. They called Dobby and he delivered a tea service. It seemed a bit odd to be having tea in the loo, but considering this loo was the size of most houses and was appointed with furniture that would have fit well in a castle, it perhaps wasn't too odd. Soon Luna was awake and joined them as well, being given the news of what might be happening.

Winky returned about fifteen minutes later with everything and Hermione knew it was the moment of reckoning. She took a minute to read the instructions, but it was impossibly simple and soon she left her coven mates and went to take the test. Mentally she tried to reassure herself. She was young, but she was in love and bonded. And they certainly had the means to care for a child. Once she was done with the test, she returned to her support group and they sat and watched the flask. Within minutes, it was bright purple, confirming their suspicions. Looking at the chart that came with the kit, Hermione matched the shade of purple and found that she was three weeks along. Seeing it brought a flood of emotions and she wasn't sure what to think for a moment. Then Daphne handed her a small phial.

"Here's the nausea potion Hermione. Mum said they saved her with both her pregnancies. One each morning. Go ahead and take it now, you're looking green again."

Hermione did as bid and then went back to sipping her tea. She had to admit that the potion did help almost immediately. Everyone gave her a couple of minutes with her thoughts as Hermione adjusted to the news. It may not have been planned, but she was going to give Harry his family. A blood relation. She knew it was early, but she also knew he would be thrilled. That made her happy. With a new resolve, she looked around at the others and let out a long sigh.

"Well, I guess we should go wake the others. Harry needs to know he's going to be a daddy."

Luna grinned and took her hand as they all returned to the bed. The other three were all just waking and sat up to wish them a Happy Christmas. Hermione went and sat on the bed next to Harry. He pulled her into his arms and they snogged for a minute before she pulled back and looked into those beautiful eyes.

"Harry love, I've been up for a while. I wasn't feeling too good. I woke Daphne too. She helped me put some pieces together about the way I was feeling. Winky was able to run an errand for us. I have an unplanned Christmas present for you."

Hermione reached into the pocket of her house robe and produced the potion flask. Harry still wasn't too awake and wasn't comprehending what he was looking at. Next to him though, Tonks gasped. Harry looked at Hermione and quirked a brow.

"You're going to be a daddy Harry. I'm three weeks along."

Recognition hit with about a two second delay when Harry let out a giant whoop before dropping the flask and grabbing Hermione, who found herself being snogged senseless. Soon her robe fell open and she could fell Harry hard against her leg. He reached for her breasts and she groaned, causing him to pull back.

"Sorry Harry, that was one of my early signs. They're really sore."

"Got it, hands off."

Harry began snogging her again when a knock sounded at the door. Harry groaned and tossed a pillow as Dobby's voice came through the door.

"Master Harry, I come with a message. Your dogfather says that he's going to open your presents for you if you don't get off your witches and get downstairs. That was his exact quote he insisted I deliver."

Harry grumbled as he rolled off Hermione and found himself looking into Luna's blue eyes.

"Come along Harry, it is Christmas. You can shag Hermione later. You can't get her pregnant again after all. At least not for another nine months."

Luna bounced off the bed and Harry's disposition was brightened as he laughed at his eccentric moonbeam. Then he leaned over to kiss Tonks before finally getting out of bed.

Twenty minutes later found the coven all dressed casually arriving downstairs in the family room. Sirius was waiting, grinning like a child. Hermione didn't even wish him a happy Christmas before she hit him with a stinging hex.

"OW! What…did…I?"

"That was for sending an elf with a very rude message and interrupting what was a very pleasurable morning."

Amelia shook her head while Neil groaned and Cecile chuckled. Molly looked shocked. It did appear that the coven were the last of the extended family to make it downstairs. Seeing that everyone was there, Harry pulled Hermione close and looked at her. She gave a brief nod. Best to get it over with.

"Alright everyone, before we begin the present madness, we have an announcement. An early present that we found out about just this morning. Hermione is expecting. She's only three weeks along, but already having some sickness, which potions are helping with. This is unplanned and early, but I'm quite happy. As are we all."

"Apparently I am one of the fifteen percent of witches who is resistant to the contraceptive charm. That is why the potion is preferred. As we mentioned, in preparation for the ritual, we had to clear ourselves of the potion. Although we used the short acting charm, apparently that wasn't enough."

"Neil, Jean, I know this is most shocking for you, but I hope you know how much I love your daughter, despite being in a multiple coven relationship."

Jean nodded and got up as she came to hug Hermione. Neil then joined her and pulled Harry in too. Jean spoke for both of them.

"Well, it's early of course, but I understand the circumstances. And we know you're committed to each other. I'd like a wedding as soon as is feasible, but we can discuss that later."

Hermione wiped a few tears and nodded as her parents went back to their seats. She and Harry accepted congratulations from most of the rest of the extended family before Sirius finally had enough.

"Brilliant job pup! We get to be dads together. Now, pressies! I'm Santa!"

Sirius was on the floor, digging through the pile of presents and levitating them around the room to their various recipients. Soon everyone had a good sized stack in front of them. Before everyone had a chance to begin, Harry had a few additional family members that needed to be summoned.

"Potter elves!"

All six elves popped in at Harry's summons and he arranged a series of cushions for them to sit on.

"Alright guys, I know you are busy with breakfast, but I consider you part of the family and I want you to join us. I wasn't sure what to get you for Christmas, but my ladies had a few ideas, so here you go. And not to worry, no clothes. Even though I know Dobby loves socks, he's a bonded elf now."

Harry handed each shocked elf a small package. Almost everyone in the room seemed surprised that he was including the elves, while the elves seemed to be near tears. They quickly opened their gifts and each found craft items, since Luna had pointed out that elves were quite creative. Milly was overjoyed with his magical leatherworking kit, while Winky's eyes glistened at the sight of her beading kit, Dobby got a range of yarns in brilliant colors for knitting socks, Dary received specialty wood carving tools, while Ting fondled the beautiful fabrics and marveled at the various child size patterns that she could adapt to elf sizes for sewing. Finally, Jora received a selection of exotic spice plants to add to the greenhouse, as well as several cookbooks that highlighted the unusual cuisines that used them. While elves could do much with magic, they enjoyed creating and the Potter elves were beyond grateful at the thoughtfulness of the gifts. While they were ready to leave right away, Harry insisted they stay for at least a bit while the rest of the of the family all opened their gifts.

With over twenty people in the extended family the gift opening was a protracted affair that devolved into a veritable hurricane of paper and ribbon. Crookshanks was in heaven, even when he was lost in the pile at one point. The number even included Ginny's two oldest brothers, who had arrived in the early morning hours as a surprise for her. Bill of course knew most of the details of the coven, with his father filling him in on a few facts. Then Bill gave Charlie the bulk of the details on the coven and the actions to take down Voldemort. He would later tell Ginny that the difficult conversation counted as his present to her. That morning though, difficult conversations were left behind and Sirius was the biggest child of all as Amelia laughed at her man-child. Then Harry thought of Christmas in a year when the family would have two new members. The thought made him grin. All of his gifts were fantastic, but nothing was better than that. As some of the madness died, he reached over and put a hand on Hermione's belly. She looked up and smiled at him. Unplanned though it was, she was thrilled.

Midway through the gifts, the elves disappeared to finish with breakfast preparations so that the family could adjourn to the sunroom for an informal light breakfast of rolls, tea, and juice after presents. The afternoon would see the large main meal of the day, so everyone was fine to nibble and lay about while they talked, read, and enjoyed their various gifts. One gift that Harry had gotten each of his ladies was a pendant and earring set featuring their respective birthstones. They all wore them to breakfast and the new jewelry brought about a discussion regarding the existing rings. Amelia was interested when she heard they were goblin crafted and wanted to know more, so Harry explained the details on the metal, stones, and enchantments. By the time he got done, more than one person was looking at him agog. Neil let out a low whistle, but it was Martin who spoke up.

"Merlin's beard Harry. I've only commissioned two goblin pieces. I can't even imagine what those six cost."

Harry shrugged and looked around the table. He could see a lot of curiosity. He had been probed more than once by the ladies. To him it was just money, which he had more than enough of.

"Alright my lovelies, I know you've been wanting to know. I don't much care. You're each worth ten thousand times whatever I get you. Do you want me to tell the family what the commissions cost?"

"Gods yes, I've been dying to know."

Harry chuckled as Tonks' excitement caused her hair to cycle colors. He pulled her in for a kiss before turning his attention back to the family around the table.

"Alright everyone, yes I paid a lot of money. I don't want anyone to think any different of me or us because of this, but we're family and I don't want to have secrets. The cost for each ring was around 14,000 galleons. Remember, I commissioned these weeks before the ritual, well before I knew the bond was confirmed."

Remus spluttered his tea, while Cecile dropped her bun. The entire table went dead silent. Jean meanwhile was doing a quick calculation at an exchange of nearly 21 pounds to the galleon and realized that her daughter's coven ring could easily buy a house. And to think that Harry had spent that times six even before the ritual. That more than anything showed his commitment. Across the table, Molly Weasley for once in her life had nothing to say. She had not been happy with this situation, despite the downfall of Voldemort. Somehow she still felt her daughter had somehow been corrupted into this. Hearing though what Harry had invested in this partnership well before their unnatural acts brought her up short. Before this madness, she was quite fond of the lad, but had lately been conflicted. She knew of course money wasn't everything, even if the bride price he had given them was going to be a large help. Hearing about the rings for some reason was a moment of realization for her of just how much each of these young women meant to Harry.

While each of the family was coming to terms with the shocking numbers, Harry's witches had recovered much quicker and proceeded to tackle him. His chair toppled, but Dobby was delivering a fresh pot of tea and a quick snap of his fingers softened Harry's landing. Harry found himself still in his chair, but on his back with a pile of witches on him and around him, each trying to snog or fondle him, not caring about their audience. The audience meanwhile sat grappling with the math for a minute or two before then changing their focus to the seven young people piled together. Arthur shook his head and decided this was more than he needed to see.

"Well Harry, that is definitely a shock. I might ask each of you ladies if you could hold off on the celebrations. We may all have an idea of what the rituals entailed, but I think I speak for the other fathers when I say that I don't need a demonstration."

Neil and Martin gave quite loud agreements, while Sirius was laughing at the lot of them. The ladies all stood and gave Harry a lift up before righting his seat. Everyone took their seats, but several of the witches were looking like they would prefer Harry for breakfast. The stunned family gradually settled into a jovial gathering.

Once everyone had eaten, different groups divided up. Harry had gifted Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, Daphne, Astoria, and Luna with new brooms. The only other one of his ladies who liked to fly was Tonks and she already had a quite good Auror broom. He joined the new broom owners, as did a couple of others as they went for a fly. Other groups parted for the game room or the library.

Later in the day, everyone came back together for a magnificent supper with a large venison roast as the centerpiece. The elves had gone all out with all the trimmings and Harry argued with Milly for several minutes about having them sit with the family. The elves insisted that it wasn't proper for the elves to sit for meals. Finally Milly agreed, but only for the special meal. Still, he or one of the others would regularly pop out to retrieve whatever was requested by one of the family members. The meal lasted over an hour as everyone ate the multiple courses slowly and stuffed themselves to groaning. By the time the meal was over, the family just barely managed to waddle to the family room and collapse on sofas to relax and talk for the rest of the evening.

After several hours to digest, the coven members finally felt like they could once again move and said their goodnights before making their way to their suite. Once there, Harry was barely in the door when he was sandwiched between two delightful bodies.

"Finally! We get our Christmas shag."

Harry grinned and yielded himself willingly as Susan pulled off his jumper. Then Daphne lost his undershirt while Tonks meanwhile worked on his belt and trousers. While he was being quickly divested of clothing, behind him Ginny and Luna were busy stripping Hermione, who Luna declared had first dibs due to her unfortunate interruption that morning. Soon the two lovers were turned to each other and Harry marveled anew at his first love's beauty. Under the unique light of the room's glass lanterns, Hermione glowed as she stepped to him and melted into his arms. He enfolded her as lips and tongues met and their eyes were only for each other. Around them the rest of the coven smiled and turned their attentions to each other. Harry fondled Hermione for a few minutes as his leg slid between hers and began to rub her just slightly. He lightly brushed one breast, but remembered her tenderness and instead pulled back to trace kisses down her neck until he reached her nipples. As he carefully explored them with his tongue, Hermione was about to scream in frustration.

"Harry, gah! I need you. Enough foreplay. I am so randy right now. I didn't think the hormones were supposed to start yet. Please just take me to bed."

Harry grinned. He was already at full mast and didn't need more encouragement as he laid Hermione back on the bed. Tonks and Daphne were already there, snogging and fondling. As he laid Hermione down, Harry followed her and traced kisses as he descended. Then his fingers dipped into her briefly and he smiled when he confirmed that she was more than ready. Seconds later he slipped his aching cock into her with a groan that was met with a small scream that ended as Harry captured her mouth once again. He set a careful pace, unsure of what was safe for a pregnant witch. Hermione met each shallow thrust as she desperately clutched at him.

"Faster, harder, please. I need to come so bad Harry."

"But is it safe? What about the baby?"

"Yes, it's fine. Harry, the baby's the size of a seed right now. We have months of sex ahead of us."

"Oh. Good."

Around them, the other witches laughed as Harry picked up his pace and Hermione began making more noise. The sounds weren't helping the other randy witches, who were all now naked as well. Daphne was between Tonks' legs, when Luna came up behind Daphne and kissed her shoulder. Daphne looked up briefly and smiled before continuing. The kisses continued down her back and then Daphne gave a small yelp when she felt Luna dip two fingers into her. The yelp caused Tonks to quiver as she got closer and Daphne sped up her work.

On the other side of Harry and Hermione, the two gingers of the coven were snogging and enjoying all the sounds in the room when suddenly a thought occurred to Susan.

"Damn. We forgot the silencing charm!"

Harry continued thrusting, but managed a response between grunts.

"Covered Susie. Perma…nent…charm…via rune…stone. Covers bath too. Come for me love."

Harry pushed in extra hard right then and Hermione came undone, throwing her head back as she decided to test the charms on the room. Her whole body seized and Harry marveled at how glorious she looked as she came. He was still close though, so he pulled out and kept up his rhythm for another minute or so, causing her keening to continue until he finally poured himself into her.

When Harry finally recovered enough to move several minutes later, Tonks was just coming thanks to Daphne's dutiful tongue and he lay with Hermione in his arms as he watched her thrash while Daphne smiled down on her, her face still messy. Luna had been working Daphne, but had only taken the blond to the edge, so Harry pulled Daphne and Luna close and began to alternate snogging them. Within a few minutes he began to respond. Seeing this, Hermione moved over a bit while Harry tried to figure out who to take next. Then Tonks had an idea.

"Daph, Lu, I bet since Harry's already gone tonight that he could finish you both. Do you want to try something new?"

Both witches were beyond ready for just about anything and readily agreed as Tonks laid Daphne down flat on her back before then placing Luna flat on her stomach on top of Daphne. She positioned both so their clits were aligned and then slid her fingers between and started to finger both. Luna and Daphne began to kiss as they both started moaning, then Tonks pulled back and drooled as she spread their legs more and arranged them for Harry. She spread both open so that Harry could she both pussies, which Tonks couldn't resist as she dipped a finger into each. Watching all this, Harry was beyond ready to start again. The ladies meanwhile had started to grind against each other. Not needing anymore invitation, Harry got on his knees and plunged his manhood into Luna on top first, eliciting a moan of delight. He gave her a few strokes and then pulled out completely before plunging into Daphne and giving her four hard and fast strokes. It didn't take long to set a pattern and Harry felt he'd found a new kind of nirvana. Each of his witches was unique, but taking them like this was amazing. He alternated back and forth between the two completely unique sheaths. Although he had already come once, he hoped he could hold out for both Daphne and Luna. It helped that Daphne had been worked up before, as she came first, bucking underneath Luna, who ground down on her and kissed her as she rode out her orgasm. As soon as he was released, Harry plunged back into Luna and began to relentlessly drive her to her own climax, which wasn't long after. Daphne had recovered by the time Luna came with a multi orgasm on top of her and she held the smaller witch to keep her from rolling off as Harry gave a small scream and unloaded himself inside of Luna.

Once the three separated, the coven all settled and fell asleep for a while after an amazing, but tiring holiday. Sometime during the night Harry was awakened by Susan moaning in her sleep and was surprised to see her rubbing herself off. Climbing over Tonks, he kissed Susan awake. As soon as she was ready, he entered her slowly and made love to her in a half awake haze. He was vaguely aware of Luna waking briefly and going back to sleep, but they were quiet enough that no one else woke. He wasn't sure how long, but eventually they both came together and were asleep before he even slipped out of her, finally climaxing a very good Christmas.


	23. Ringing in a New Year

Chapter 23 – Ringing in a New Year

The coven only slept in a bit the next morning, but then spent a good while with a long soak in their magnificent bath afterward. Harry had been worried at one time how he would manage to keep six women happy, but since the coven was all equally bonded and his witches enjoyed each other as well, they were finding a happy balance. There was no scorecard to ensure that equal time was taken. Everyone was more than satisfied.

Eventually the seven lovers made it to breakfast by a bit after nine, which they considered quite an accomplishment. Now that the holiday was past, the extended family discussed what the plans were for the intervening days until Hogwarts started again. The Ministry was closed to non-essential personnel until the 27th, when Arthur and Amelia would be back to work full time. Amelia had managed to spend all of Christmas day without talking to the department, but now she needed to see where the cleanup operations were at, as well as the interrogations and trials.

For the coven, their first task was the article for the Quibbler. Luna would be doing the writing, but the coven needed to decide on the extent that they wanted to disclose. Everyone was in agreement that secrets had been kept for too long, but that the general populace didn't need to know absolutely everything. Harry also needed to take care of estate duties and study the specifics of his title as a Founder's heir since he planned on exercising those rights quite soon.

The rest of the extended family had their own plans and everyone went their separate directions after breakfast. The Weasleys decided to return to the Burrow, as Molly was missing her home and especially kitchen. She had found it difficult to have the elves doing everything over the holiday. Martin left for the day to attend to a business meeting. While Amelia was off at the Ministry, Sirius went to Gringotts to deal with Black family business. He also was going to stop at Grimmauld and look in the boiler room for the remains of the locket horcrux. Xeno meanwhile was left to wander the estate, which he seemed quite happy with.

With most of the extended family off and away, the entire coven spent a bit over an hour outlining the details they thought that Luna's article should cover. She was then left to start the task of writing. With that done, Harry's next task was to locate Remus. He found him reading in the library. When Harry entered the room, Remus set his book down and nodded to him as Harry took a seat.

"Hi Remus, I hope I'm not interrupting."

"No. I'm actually reading some of the history references Hermione told us about. You look like you've got something on your mind."

"Actually I do. Several things in fact. Christmas was fantastic but now I find that I only have a few days left in which to get several bits of business done before I'm sequestered back at school. I wanted to discuss some of that business with you. What have you been doing lately for work if I may ask?"

"Oh, a bit of this and a bit of that. I work mostly in the muggle world. I primarily do construction related work. Carpentry is my favorite, but since my schooling history is spotty in the muggle world it makes regular work difficult. I had a good gig over the summer with a cabinet maker who was on vacation and left me to look after his shop. I got free run of the place and a chance to be creative. That was pleasant."

"Well, since you don't seem to be tied to anything, I'd like to ask a favor. Now that I've returned to Potter Manor, I'd like to get if functioning properly on all levels again. That includes over forty hectares of fields that are lying dormant, not to mention a very overgrown orchard. There's also a barn, stables, and some outbuildings. I'd like to see the land fruitful again and I need someone to manage the property. I have the elves for the manor and the immediate grounds around it, but that doesn't cover the farm and such. I'll be in school for another couple of years and I need someone I trust to keep an eye on things when I can't be here. According to Milly, there are a few bungalows available, although they need some work. My property manager could take their pick from one of those. If you're interested in the position, I'll provide your monthly wolfsbane and a salary as a full compensation package in addition to the housing. I'll leave the hiring of farm workers up to you, but if you know more lycanthropes like yourself who are decent folks all but one day of the month and willing to work hard, they'd be welcome here. There is a corner of the basement that I think can be easily reinforced by the elves as an area where you and any others can spend the full moon. Would you be willing to help me Remus?"

Remus eyed Harry with disbelief. He knew that Harry was phrasing this carefully and the help was really for himself. Still, the opportunity to help a few others like himself was intriguing. He didn't know much about managing an estate, but he could learn.

"Alright Harry, I agree. You know I don't like charity, but I can see that this will benefit us all. There are a few others I can think of. I'll need to do some studying on estate management. When would you want me to start?"

"The new year will be fine. You're still a friend and guest through the holiday. I'll tell the elves to work on the basement and have it ready for the full moon on the fifth. The Express leaves on the second, so the manor will be empty. Feel free to stay here until a bungalow is ready. I'll talk to my account manager at Gringotts and advise him of your position. I'm going to set up an account for estate expenses of 5,000 galleons a month, but for the first year I'll double that amount since you'll have a lot more to get done. If the expenses are more, just let me know. The elves did a good job with the manor, but the farm and grounds are going to need a lot of work. Now, along with your lodging and the wolfsbane, I'd like to offer you a salary of 6,000 galleons a year. Will that be satisfactory?"

Remus was stunned. Had Harry really asked that? He stuttered for a minute before forming an answer.

"That's a bit much Harry."

"Nonsense. Being my estate manager is an important position that will take a lot of work."

Unable to form an argument, Remus nodded and Harry grinned as he stood.

"Excellent, thanks Remus! I'll consider you hired as of the new year and inform Silverclaw of such. Now, I need to send a note to Augusta if you'll excuse me."

Harry left Remus sitting in contemplative silence, his book still set to the side. After a few minutes Remus decided to forgo his history reading and look around the library for books on estate management. He smiled as he began to feel the familiar excitement of a new project.

While Harry was busy with sending a note to Augusta requesting a meeting, the ladies of the coven minus Luna had decided to begin looking at decorating their ladies' suites. Cecile and Jean were busy chatting in the sunroom and couldn't help but overhear the discussion on styles and colors, as the ladies tried to decide if they wished to coordinate or go completely different from each other. Jean lit up at the idea of a decorating project.

"Hermione dear, did I hear something about decorating? Anything you need a mother's input for?"

"I'm here as well Daphne."

The ladies exchanged looks and shrugged as Hermione and Daphne each took their mothers by an arm.

"Alright mum, you can help, but we'll have to show you the third floor. Some of it may be a bit shocking."

"Really? I think I'm beyond being shocked at this point Daphne."

Daphne flashed a couple of the ladies a look and they just shrugged as the group made their way up to the third floor while Hermione explained.

"Alright mum, Cecile, the third floor used to be two massive suites for the lord and lady, as well as some common areas and three smaller suites. As our bonds established, we all had dreamed and talked among ourselves about what we might do in the future. We thought it was all dreaming, but Harry was taking notes. When we arrived at the manor from school, we found that he had reconfigured the entire third floor. There are still common spaces, but now the lord's suite has been divided into a master bedroom and bath, as well as a dressing room and office for Harry. The large single lady's suite and other three suites have been divided into six smaller suites arranged along a hall, one for each of us. They aren't large, but each will provide us individual space. Honestly, we enjoy being together, but there may be times during the month when we want to be alone. The suites have enough space for a double bed and dresser in a bedroom, a walk through closet, three piece bath, and small office. Each of our suites is maybe half the size of one of the suites from before. Still, it's probably twice as large as my bed and bath was at home. Anyway, the master suite is done, but our suites are all raw space. Our first Christmas present from Harry was free rein on the decorating. He put us all on the vault and we can do whatever we wish."

"Wait! What?"

Cecile suddenly stopped in the middle of the stairs from the second to the third floor as she turned to look at Hermione.

"Harry put you on the vault? All of you?"

"Yes, we're all on the Potter account. We all have a bank card that works in either the muggle or magical worlds. Cecile, are you alright?"

"Come on mum, just a few more steps and then maybe you should sit. I'll explain in a minute Hermione."

The group helped Cecile up the stairs and through the double doors at the top into the comfortable family living room. Ginny called for Winky, who brought water for everyone. Meanwhile, Daphne explained.

"Hermione, it's highly unusual for a pureblood to grant his wife full access to his vault and accounts. Most wives have allowances. Quite lavish usually, but still. That was why most of us seemed shocked at Gringotts when Harry gave us the cards."

"Daphne is correct Hermione. When Martin and I were first married I had a 2,000 galleon monthly allowance. Once I had a child, that increased. We are in love now, but at the time our marriage was arranged. Now I have full access to the family accounts, but I didn't have that for about six years. There are still business accounts I know nothing about. Anyway, I guess since Harry was raised in the muggle world, he has different ideas. Now, this room is quite lovely and very cozy. Why don't you show us what else Harry has done and then show us the spaces you want to work on?"

Hermione led the group past the informal dining area and to another set of double doors. She knew this room would be a shock. Oh well, it was their dream and all of the coven were quite thrilled with it. She opened the doors and led everyone in.

"Welcome to our Arabian Nights dream…"

Jean and Cecile stood among the young witches and looked around the lavishly appointed room. It was like nothing either of them had ever seen. Susan touched a runestone and turned on the stars in the ceiling, while Luna activated the runestones in the lanterns, causing multi-hued facets of light to dance around the room. The older women's eyes were caught by the centerpiece of the room, the massive round bed that was made for the entire coven. It was obvious why this had not been part of the main house tour. Jean gave herself a bit of a shake as she turned to her daughter.

"Well, it's certainly a spectacular room. You were wise to not show your father though."

Hermione laughed and nodded as Susan then insisted that they had to see the bathroom. Jean and Cecile readily followed her into the next fantastic room. While the bedroom had been amazing, Jean thought she could very well live in this bathroom. She stepped toward the center of the room to the small sunken seating area and perched on a divan.

"Alright, now I'm really impressed that we ever see you downstairs."

"I agree. My estimation of your young man has just gone up several notches. He did quite spectacularly. Now though, perhaps we should see your ladies' suites and see if we can make something to match?"

With a bit of effort, Hermione pulled her mother off the divan and out of the bathroom as the group made their way back to the living room and to the hallway that connected all the ladies' suites. Tonks produced a magical tape measure, while Hermione took notes as each witch took a multitude of measurements of each space. They also took measurements for Luna. The spaces were similar, but each was different enough with the bend of the hallways that needed to be taken into account. With that done, they all went back downstairs and found a number design books. The rest of the afternoon was spent with a leisurely tea while they pored over the books for ideas, also taking notes for Luna.

After an afternoon spent writing, Luna completed her first draft of the article and presented it to the rest of the coven for review. Harry thought it was fine, while the others had a few small proofreading changes. About an hour before dinner the final was ready and Luna and her father left for their home. Xeno already had the rest of the edition set on the printing press, so he helped Luna set the cover story. Once the magical press was running, they returned to Potter Manor for dinner. Later that night Xeno returned to his home to work on bundling the edition, which he would begin distributing the following morning.

Although the coven was quite happy with Luna's article, they were understandably nervous about the upcoming release. So far in the five days since the solstice, Amelia had gradually released more details about the actions that led to Voldemort's downfall. Her use of goblin ward breakers and muggle weapons had been met with derision, but her refusal so far to name the 'special weapon used in the first phase' had caused the most furor and guesswork. There had even been a call for Wizengamot inquiry into the actions of the DMLE. Only Harry's owls to Augusta with reassurances, and then her work behind the scenes, combined with the distraction of the holiday had so far held that off. Now everyone's questions would be answered in complete detail. Luna's article detailed Tom's great fear of death and the steps he took to create soul containers. Never was the word horcrux used and no detail was given on how the items were created, but everyone felt that the existence of the foul items was something critical to be known. Then the article explained about Dumbledore's machinations to use Harry after he was unintentionally made a soul container. The next page of the article detailed the research into a solution, leading to the coven research and the formation of the Potter Coven. Finally, an overview of the ritual was given and how it had weakened Voldemort in preparation for the final attack. Some of the family was still uncertain if they told too much, but the coven had had enough of secrets. Harry felt certain that Dumbledore would be aghast, but they didn't really care.

On the 27th, the women of the coven, as well as Cecile, Amelia, and Jean decided to take a muggle day off. Amelia had been working the previous day and the cleanup was going well , so she felt she could take a day off. She also preferred to not be around on the day of the actual Quibbler release. Meanwhile, the rest of the ladies decided to stay away from anywhere magical and avoid the expected stares and whispers. Instead, Hermione suggested a large muggle mall that featured a number of antique and furniture showrooms. The idea was readily agreed on by all the women, who were eager to get their decorating started.

Meanwhile, Harry accepted Neil's offer of a golf lesson. Sirius came along as well, having only played a couple of times twenty years before. Once again, the day was planned to keep them well out of the magical world.

While the Potter Coven and their extended family fled to the muggle world, the Quibbler reached its first patrons just after six in the morning. Xeno anticipated heavy sales and made a double printing. His subscribers received theirs first, but magical newsstands for once placed the Quibbler in a prominent spot alongside the Daily Prophet. Its headline of: _Potter Coven revealed to be DMLE's Secret Weapon – Ancient Ritual Defeats Voldemort_ guaranteed that by noon Xeno was busy with another double printing that he had ready by dinner time. Soon the coven was all that was talked about in any magical household. Opinions were divided. Defeating Voldemort was worth almost any cost, but the reputation of covens was still difficult to discard.

Harry greatly enjoyed his day of golf and male bonding, but the following day saw the coven busy back at the manor. The ladies were eager to start on their suites, and Harry had other business. First though they had all neglected some of their training for a few days and all made their way to the magical training arena in the basement. Here they were all able to spend several hours practicing and becoming more familiar with their new power levels. Harry especially had a lot of adjustments to make. Dobby brought some logs in from the wood pile to practice on and Harry's normal reducto saw the first log practically vaporized instead of being cut apart into small pieces. Each of the witches had small adjustments, but none at his level. After the practice, they all joined the family at the indoor swimming pool that was off the east wing for a few lazy laps before cleaning up for lunch.

The morning before, Harry had sent Hedwig to Longbottom Manor to request a meeting and Augusta had agreed to tea the following day, although that was before the Quibbler article. He hoped she would still be amenable and also wondered what Neville would think. His ladies were spending the afternoon working on decorating, so he dressed in his robes bearing all three house crests and floo'd to Longbottom Manor mid-afternoon on the 28th. He was happy when he found Neville waiting for him. His friend was grinning, but stepped forward to greet him formally.

"Welcome to Longbottom Manor Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter. You honor our house with your visit."

"The honor is mine Scion Longbottom. I believe Madam Longbottom is expecting me."

"Yes my lord, she's in the conservatory, please follow me."

Neville led Harry through to the conservatory, where Madam Longbottom was waiting. She was perfectly coiffed and dressed impeccably as always. Despite their past dealings, she felt more formal than she had recently when they had last met.

"Grandmother, may I present Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter."

"Please Scion Longbottom, you have been well trained. I know the recent article has disclosed my additional titles and status, but can we all please return to an easy, friendly interaction."

"If that is what you wish Lord…"

"Just Harry, Madam. You are still proxy and ally to House Potter after all."

Augusta nodded and Harry noticed that Neville sighed a bit.

"Harry, I can leave and let you and Gran…"

"No, Neville, I have no secrets. All of this you will need to know when you take your title. If that is alright Augusta?"

Augusta nodded and called an elf for tea as she regarded Harry carefully.

"I must say Harry, the recent news has been most shocking. Two more titles. And prominent houses at that. And a coven. Six ladies. I'm not sure if you should be envied."

"Well, they definitely keep me on my toes. I feel like Fate is making up for some of my childhood. At least now with Voldemort gone I can have a chance of a happy life. I really just want to run my houses, raise a family and be exceedingly normal and boring."

"Well, you'll have a good size family with that many witches. But I'm afraid normal is out of the question."

Harry grinned and momentarily lost his focus before then looking at Neville.

"Actually, I do have a bit of news. This is something between friends, not to go further."

"Of course Harry."

"Hermione's expecting. Next August. A bit of an unplanned side effect due to some of the preparations for the ritual."

Neville grinned and Augusta gave him a sly smile.

"That's brilliant Harry!"

"Yes, well, as thrilled as I am, I came to discuss other matters. Now that additional titles are a matter of public record, I need a proxy for both. To me it would simplify matters to have one proxy for all three. Augusta, would you be interested?"

"Of course. That make sense. Same terms as before? No difference in viewpoints?"

"No. I didn't resurrect these houses to drive different agendas."

"Understood. I'd be honored."

"Excellent, thank you. Now, I have another matter. This one will require more consideration, and I don't want your status as my proxy to influence this decision. Since we started building the coven, my ladies and I have been in discussion regarding a number of subjects at Hogwarts. The school is one of the best in the world, but it is declining and it used to be even better than it is now. We think with a bit of work, it can be the best by far once again. We have some ideas for changes. Unfortunately, as long as Dumbledore is headmaster, he considers it his own personal kingdom and accepts very little outside advice. Definitely nothing from mere students. My title as Lord Gryffindor makes me more than a mere student though. Originally when the school was founded, the four founders had equal votes. Later, a single heir for each had equal votes. When the current charter was written around 460 years ago, it established the Board of Governors, with additional seats for heirs of the founders. The problem is that none of those seats has been held for close to three hundred years. I wish to revive the Gryffindor seat."

Harry sipped his tea while he let that information settle. He could see that Augusta was thinking through it.

"Anyway, the founders' seats each have ten votes. The Board of Governors is twelve seats and twelve votes. Two of those seats are for the headmaster and deputy headmistress. I know the Board is short a couple of members at the moment. Amelia Bones is one I know who currently sits on the Board and is now family to me. We have discussed some of the changes we have in mind and she is in agreement. Anyway, when I claim Gryffindor's seat, that will give me ten votes. If Amelia adds one, that will give me eleven. With Amelia's vote cast, that leaves eleven others on the Board. If no one else aligns with me, we will at most come to a draw. I don't know the other members, but I have to think one or two at least will agree. I'd like to ensure a successful outcome though and would like to ask for you to stand with us at the Board meeting. Especially I am concerned that Dumbledore will object that we are infringing on his rule of his kingdom. I know this isn't something you can agree to outright, so I've made some notes of changes we are considering in order of priority. I thought it may help you to see what we are thinking. I'd appreciate if you'd read it and consider my proposal."

Augusta hid her surprise well, but it was still barely evident as she took the parchment of notes that Harry gave her, glancing at it briefly before looking back to him.

"Well, I have to say that I had forgotten about the rule granting founders' heirs ten votes. That will definitely cause a shift in the Board. As you are aware, there is a meeting just after the school year resumes to name new board members. Lucius Malfoy is in custody of course and Thaddeus Nott is missing, as is his son. Since the Nott vault has been locked, it is likely that the goblins have proof of their demise. Dumbledore is submitting for Matilda Ratson and Georg Dimple to be their replacements. Both are moderates and I don't foresee an issue with either."

"Amelia told us the same. Both are old supporters of Dumbledore and will be his to control. We won't contest Georg, as his history with the ICW Education Review Board is welcome. Madame Ratson is another matter. She is well past 100, can barely hear, and is known to sleep through her bridge club. The Board of Governors is too important to sleep through. As Lord Gryffindor, I am going to propose an alternative to her name, Lord Martin Greengrass. I have spoken to him and he welcomes this appointment. With two current students at the school, he has an inherent interest in seeing improvement."

"Indeed. He is also another that you could count as a familial ally. Still, I have to admit to agreeing that Matilda is past her prime. I will need to consider all of this and the points you make for potential changes. I hope you are prepared for Dumbledore's response."

"Yes. I may not think the man is dark, but I do not attribute all his actions to the light. I can see that he has had too many years of not having his actions questioned. With Voldemort gone, and the DMLE now well funded to track down additional criminal activity, I think it is time to bring Hogwarts back to the standards it was once known for. Then hopefully if there are future threats, future generations will be prepared for them."

"You certainly speak like a man older than your years. The Board meeting on the 5th will be interesting. The Wizengamot meets the following Monday on the 8th, you will need to be there to formally state your additional proxies."

"Of course, and thank you again for those madam."

With that, Harry said his goodbyes and left Longbottom Manor. With only a couple of days left in the holiday, he was done with work and decided to focus on his ladies and extended family. They were still working on their suites, which with the help of magic would be finished before the end of the holiday. The elves were thrilled to help with paint and wallpaper, which they could finish in an entire suite in an hour or so. Antique furniture that was in disrepair was fixed overnight. The Potter elves had spent years with only minimal to do and were now working extra hard. The ladies tried to admonish them to not overdo, but it was clear to see that the elves were loving the challenge and would soon have time to rest when school resumed.

As the new year approached, Harry wanted the entire extended family back together for one last day as a family and arranged a special day in muggle London. He had actually been working on details for a few days with Sirius' help and his ladies knew he was up to something, but their decorating project had kept them distracted.

On Saturday the 30th, Harry asked all of the extended family back to Potter Manor for breakfast. He then told everyone that he had a plan for the following day on New Year's Eve. The day was going to be spent primarily in muggle London though and he wanted to make sure everyone had appropriate attire. Thus a shopping trip was called for. Molly tried to object, but a sharp look from her daughter and Arthur's hand on her arm quelled her. Once breakfast finished, Harry stood to address the group.

"Alright everyone, I've been planning the new year for a while. Tomorrow is all arranged. We will be travelling on several VIP tours and we need to look the part. I have booked the tour as Lord Potter and you will be my guests. As such, today we need to go shopping for appropriate muggle clothing and it will be my treat. To make travel easier, I have rented a suite in a nearby hotel to facilitate our travel and I have portkeys leaving in about six minutes. The hotel is down the street from Harrods. We will apparate there and then walk to the store. Later we will have all our purchases taken to the hotel. Tomorrow morning we will return to the hotel and be picked up for our first tour. I suppose I could have stayed at the hotel, but it's not near as comfortable or nice as the manor.

Harry passed out portkeys and the group soon began leaving for the posh hotel suite that Harry had reserved. From there, they then walked to Harrods, where Harry led the men toward the menswear department, while Hermione took the lead with the women. The next several hours were spent with all of the extended family being fitted with new attire for the following day. While all of the outfits were tailored, everyone met upstairs at the Georgian for a late lunch and tea. Harry knew the trip would be expensive, but he could afford it and he smiled when he saw that even Molly had relaxed and was enjoying herself, even if she still seemed a bit out of sorts in the environment.

Once lunch was finished, everyone walked back to the hotel after ensuring that the clothes would be delivered to their suite while they were 'out to dinner' that evening. When they were all back in the suite, Hermione put out the 'do not disturb' sign on the suite and then they left the suite vacant and headed back to the manor.

The following day was Sunday, the 31st, and Harry woke on his back with Luna half on top of him on his left side. Her breast was enticingly close and he couldn't help himself as he stuck his tongue out to lick it. Then he felt another delicious mound under his right hand and looked to see ginger hair just above it. Quite ginger, so that would be Susan. He tweaked her breast a bit while continued to lick Luna's and felt his partial wood start to wake completely while Susan whined.

"Harrrry….it's early. And they're still sore from last night."

Harry desisted his massaging.

"Sorry Susie, it was right there and irresistible."

"Really Su, you've gotten Harry all worked up. And we have plans and an houseful of family waiting."

Harry and a few others groaned.

"Just a quick shag Hermione, please? Harry's been licking me since I woke."

Luna looked up and pouted at Hermione, who was under the other half of her and found the blonde as hard to deny as Harry.

"Alright, but make it fast. I don't know how you take as much as you do Lu, especially as tiny as you are."

Luna clapped and sat up as she rolled and positioned herself to drop onto Harry's erect member. He really hadn't been completely awake, but that definitely woke him as he grabbed Luna's hips and held on as she set a fast pace. Meanwhile, the others in the bed yawned, woke, and watched the show. Tonks groaned and was fingering herself. Daphne pushed her fingers away and soon the two were fingering each other. Hermione turned her attention to the two of them and shook her head.

"I should know better than to think we'd go a morning without sex."

"Yes Hermione, you really should…"

Ginny's words were capped by her lips meeting Hermione's as neither could resist the sounds and smells happening around them any longer. Meanwhile, Susan had placed herself over Harry's face and was busy with Luna's bouncing boobs. Before long the room's silencing charms were once again tested as groans and moans were replaced with screams and yelps. Eventually everyone settled and managed to drag themselves out of the bed and toward the shower. Looking back at what was left of the bed, Susan shook her head.

"It's a good thing you had the elves make a dozen spare sets of the specially made sheets Harry."

The coven finally made it downstairs a full twenty minutes late. The entire family noticed and a few smirked at them, but of course it was Sirius who had to comment.

"With all the plans you've been working on pup, I would have thought one of you would have remembered the alarm. Unless of course you couldn't hear it."

Harry's mature response was to throw a croissant at Sirius. The coven then all sat down and ate quickly, as the entire family had timed portkeys once again. They finished and all gathered just as the portkeys activated, taking them all to the suite Harry had reserved in London.

Once there, everyone separated to different rooms to get ready for the day. When the group was attired, they took several elevators to the lobby. In the lobby, Harry led the way, with Luna on his right, Daphne on his left, and the other four gathered around him. He wore a custom tailored woolen suit with a silken tie that had a bit of sheen and a slightly bold pattern. The suit itself was blue, not bright, but not navy. The cut was a bit modern and he thought the look was good given his age. All of his ladies agreed that it gave the air of a wealthy, young man who could afford the best, but who was not ready for the staunch three piece that looked so good on Martin. His signet on his right hand and his coven ring on his left hand were set off by a glint of gold chain at his neck. The phalanx of beautiful women around him made some wonder who this young playboy was. The man who greeted him in the lobby set the whispers higher as he made sure all within heard his address.

"Good morning Lord Potter. I hope you and your family are well. The cars are waiting."

"Excellent. Thank you Mr. Stiles, lead the way."

The family stepped out to the curb and five 1938 black Rolls Royce Phantoms were waiting in their shining glory, each with a chauffeur at the door. If Harry had bothered to look behind him, he would have seen a gaggle of onlookers watching from the hotel. Phantoms were not uncommon in London on occasion, but five together was a sight. Harry turned and addressed everyone.

"Alright, unfortunately each car only holds five. We're going to rotate who is in each between stops. Our day is going to consist of a variety of private tours around the city. Each tour has a chauffeur up front, as well as a tour guide to narrate as we go."

Harry's first trip included Hermione, her parents, and Luna. The drive wasn't far, but did have to contend with a bit of traffic, although it was lighter than a weekday. Their first stop was at the Tower of London, with the guides in the cars giving a bit of history along the way. The reason for it being the first stop was that a private viewing of the Crown Jewels had been arranged. Lord Potter's group was taken around a private route by a Beefeater and shown the grounds. Then the public tours were halted and the Crown Jewels room was closed while they were allowed in to view the Jewels for as long as they wished. The Grangers and Greengrasses had visited before, but most magicals did not visit muggle tourist attractions. Neil and Jean especially were astonished at the deference being paid to the group and the VIP access that was being granted. They talked as they left after thanking their guide.

"How in the world did you manage that Harry? When we were here to visit about five years ago, we were in a throng and were moved along on a conveyor belt with only a bare glimpse. "

"Well, money and status has its uses. Even with the Statue of Secrecy, the upper levels of the non-magical government are aware of what happens in the magical world. Mr. Stiles' sister is actually a witch and he knows who I am. When I started throwing money and my name around, I got more attention than I planned. The Prime Minister's office was quite grateful for the help with Voldemort and ending his attacks. Mr. Stiles works in his office and was told to make sure we had a good day. I won't say that the day still isn't costing me, but having the Prime Minister's staff helping provides significant grease."

Neil looked at his future son-in-law and just nodded in shock.

From the Tower of London, the group moved on to all the other major sites that magicals for some reason did not often visit. This included Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly, and Parliament. Before they visited Parliament, the famished group happily stopped for lunch at The Goring. After finishing a fantastic meal, the tour continued to Parliament, where they were led inside for a private tour that included the Robing Chamber, the Royal Gallery, and the magnificent Chamber of the House of Lords.

After an already full day of magnificent touring and a lot of history courtesy of their tour guides, Harry could tell that the family could all use a break, which he had already planned on. With that in mind, the cars next drove them to the Globe Theater. Realizing where they were, Jean grew visibly excited and Harry laughed, knowing that Jean was a Shakespeare fan and the reason why Hermione was named as she was. The play on that day was a popular one, a Midsummer Night's Dream and Harry hoped that everyone would like it. He wasn't very familiar with Shakespeare, but figured it would be an experience.

The entire group was seated in the front of the second tier, able to look down and see well. They had arrived a good twenty minutes before show time and everyone had drinks and was settled as the play began. Over the next two hours Harry did his best to follow the story, but knew that he would have to talk to Hermione later. He obviously should have studied some Shakespeare before. It seemed to be as difficult as some of the Old English he had studied for the rituals. At least it only lasted a bit over two hours. Hermione did seem to enjoy it, as did a few others. He noticed that he wasn't the only one that seemed a bit baffled and he Arthur tried to stifle a yawn. Oh well, the last plans for the day were more exciting. The sun was now setting and the new year was only hours away.

The group left the theater and found Mr. Stiles waiting for them with the five cars, that once again were drawing stares. Harry turned back to his family.

"All right everyone, one more stop for the night. I want to ring the new year in in style."

Everyone divvied up again and the cars slowly progressed through the city until they found a dock along the river Thames. Once there, they found a boat waiting for them. The sun was now setting on the river and everyone was quite appreciative of the view and the fact that the boat was for their family alone. Harry went to the railing as the boat pulled away and surrounded himself with his ladies as he watched the sun dip lower on the horizon. All around him, other couples were doing the same as the boat began a slow tour of London from the water and they watched the sights of the day from a new perspective.

As the light dimmed, strands of colored lanterns were lit along the boat and everyone stepped inside where tables had been set up and it was obvious that a meal would be served shortly. Wine was served, along with other drinks and everyone relaxed as they expressed their appreciation of the day. Molly even mentioned that magicals really should take the time to see more of London and learn the history. Coming from a staunch pureblood, this was quite a statement. As everyone discussed the day, Harry finally brought up what was on his mind.

"I enjoyed most everything, but Hermione my love, can you tell me what the hell that play was about? Were they speaking English?"

Martin burst out laughing, while Neil tried not to laugh while his wife scowled. Hermione looked a bit put out, but then just smiled and switched to lecture mode as she began to explain the play in great detail over the next ten minutes. As she finished, Harry and several others were left staring at her dumbfounded. She in turn looked back at him.

"Really dear, you should have gotten some of it."

Harry shook his head.

"Were we in the same theater?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry was saved by the arrival of a waiter announcing that the first course was imminent. Everyone went to find their seats and soon a delicious vichyssoise arrived. Dinner was served over the next couple of hours, encompassing six courses with a mix of British and French fare. Dessert finally finished at around a quarter past eleven and everyone enjoyed sitting back and relaxing with the magnificent views of the city lights.

When an announcement was made that the new year was imminent in ten minutes, everyone found their cloaks and coats and returned back to the railings to admire the lights reflecting on the Thames. From multiple venues along the banks, other celebrants could be heard. In the last minute, they were close enough to hear the countdown from the shore and everyone had champagne in hand as the fireworks exploded overhead. Once the champagne was emptied, kisses started and Harry didn't even have a chance to worry about who was first as Susan was closest and grabbed him before passing him to Daphne and moving herself on to Luna. Harry happily let himself be passed along as he kissed each of his ladies and then they each kissed each other. He noticed that the Weasleys and Grangers were both looking a bit surprised as they watched the ladies all kissing, but then he was pulled into another kiss and couldn't care less. Soon the kisses were complete and the captain was pulling them back to their dock, where Mr. Stiles and the cars were waiting.

Everyone returned to the hotel as a staging point, but instead of returning to their suite, everyone socialized in the still busy lobby. Harry tipped all of the drivers and guides before tipping Mr. Stiles quite heftily and asking that his sincere gratitude be passed on to the Prime Minister's office. Once everyone was in the lobby, they all began to say their goodbyes before gradually filtering off to various restrooms and lounges to apparate or portkey to different locations. Those returning to Potter Manor cast a notice-me-not charm, stepped onto an elevator, and then portkeyed back home.

The following morning everyone had a lie-in and then Harry and his ladies enjoyed the first day of January lazily at home, enjoying a day without anything planned and with just themselves and the elves nearby. Even Remus was off with Sirius.

The next day, Tuesday the 2nd, saw the coven using their status to floo to the Three Broomsticks and then arrive at the gates of Hogwarts at eleven in the morning. Harry had sent a formal letter, addressed from Lord Gryffindor, advising that an heir of the founder would be taking residence in his apartment and the time he would arriving. The letter had been sent a full week before and now he would find out if all was ready as it should be. The gates were still sealed when they arrived, so Harry laid his signet on the gate and then pushed his magic forward, willing the seal of Gryffindor forward of the three. Immediately the gates clicked open and Lord Gryffindor stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts officially for the first time in eleven generations.


	24. Return to School

Chapter 24 – Return to School

The coven strode forward onto the grounds, alternately taking turns to use a heat charm to clear their path of snow as they went. There was a lot more snow at Hogwarts versus at the Manor. It also made them glad for warming charms on their cloaks. At least it wasn't actively snowing and the sun was actually making an attempt to shine. Harry knew they could have had Dobby take them into the castle, but he preferred a slower approach to allow for warning of their arrival. Anyway, the crisp air and walk was pleasant. With Voldemort now gone, he could look forward to more pleasant things.

A ten minute walk brought them to the doors of the castle and they found Professor McGonagall waiting, looking a bit unsure of how to greet them.

"Good day Lord Gryffindor. The wards informed me of your arrival."

"Happy New Year professor. I hope your holidays were good. I mailed the headmaster a week ago to inform him of my intent to officially claim the title as an heir to a founder and the need for Gryffindor's apartment. I also informed him of my travel arrangements."

"Yes, well, the headmaster will be returning by this afternoon. He has been on the continent for the holiday. He sent an owl after your letter, but I only received it yesterday. He wanted to talk to you before you claim your apartment."

"Why? I am Lord Gryffindor. This land belonged to my ancestors before the ancestors of the Dumbledores even existed. It was my ancestors who bequeathed the land that Hogwarts sits on. I thought that the wards allowed all critical correspondence to be forwarded to the school's deputy when the headmaster is away? I would have thought my request for the apartment should have been sent to you when I originally sent it."

"Oh, the request was forwarded and the apartment has been made ready, but the headmaster still has concerns about how your…family conducts themselves and is viewed by the rest of the students. He wished to talk to you before you were fully settled in."

"I'm sorry, but I don't see why that makes a difference, do you?"

McGonagall sighed and shook her head slightly.

"No I suppose not. Lord Gryffindor, this is all quite a bit of change to accept. I look at you and still see the small first year who I happily welcomed into my house. And then I remember the baby that I anguished over when he was orphaned all those years ago. I understand your new family and I rejoice in what you all have done for us, but this is taking some adjustment. A coven is something we have been trained to look against for so long."

Hermione stepped forward and clasped her hands around McGonagall's, whose hands were wringing.

"I understand professor, but please give us time. You will see that we are the same people as always, and we have the best interests of Hogwarts in mind. We came early only so that we can settle ourselves and then we want to catch up with our friends. We'll talk to the headmaster later."

"Alright, I'm trying to understand. Really, what you did with destroying the pieces of Voldemort and weakening him, well no one can deny that you're light aligned. I still have a number of things to attend to, but you are right that you should be allowed access to the apartment, come this way."

The professor turned and led them up to the sixth floor, below and to the side of Gryffindor tower. There an elaborate statue of the original winged boar that the valley of Hogwarts was named for stood looking resolute until Minerva cast over it and the boar turned and unfurled its wings. Harry then pressed his signet into the base and decided on a password. The guardian then moved aside and opened the apartment.

"Well Lord Gryffindor, the apartment is yours to do with as you wish. Your elves should be able to talk to the castle elves about additional stored furniture and the like if you need anything. I have duties before the rest of the students arrive."

Harry thanked her and led his ladies and elves into what appeared to be a side tower to the main Gryffindor tower. The sconces on the walls lit, showing a large living room with comfortable couches and chairs around a large stone fireplace. The room could easily seat sixteen and was primarily decorated in creams and gold with a bit of burgundy. Through an arch at the back of the room was a dining room that could sit a formal dinner for twenty and had a galley style catering kitchen off the side. The other side of the living room featured another doorway, as well as a stairwell up. The doorway led down a hall to two bedrooms with a bath between, as well as another room that was a study with bookshelves lining three walls.

Following the stairwell up, the next floor featured a smaller living room with two en-suite bedrooms on one side. Both bedrooms were large enough to feature desks and could also double as offices. On the other side were two smaller bedrooms with another bathroom shared between them.

Finally, the last top floor was a large bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. It wasn't anything like their bedroom at the Manor, but the massive four poster still went almost wall to wall and would accommodate them with a bit more cuddling than what they had at home. The theme was gold everywhere, with ruby accents. It was a bit much , but it would do for the time. Off to one side, double doors led out onto a balcony that featured a sweeping panorama view of the valley. The bathroom that was attached was spacious with a shower that would fit three or four people and a tub that could fit about the same, although it was still a sacrifice when compared to what they had left behind. Still, as Harry looked around and thought of what he had once had he knew he had a lot to be grateful for.

Within an hour the elves had their trunks moved into the apartment and personal items unpacked. The ladies immediately moved the furniture out of one of the two bedrooms on the second floor and lined it with wardrobes instead, effectively turning it into a dressing room.

By the time they heard the carriages start arriving with students coming back from the Express, the coven was all moved into their new quarters. At one time, Harry had considered Hogwarts his first real home. Now he wouldn't consider it that, but he had his ladies with him and they seemed happy, so that was what mattered.

After giving all their friends time to settle, the coven went downstairs for dinner and decided to sit at the Gryffindor table for their first night back. Since Harry was Lord Gryffindor, he felt it was appropriate. Their entrance in their usual phalanx caused the buzz in the hall to silence and Harry thought that Madam Pomfrey was going to be treating some cases of whiplash with the way some students responded to their entrance. He was used to stares, but this was ridiculous. He was certain that new exhibits at the London Zoo didn't get this much attention. Harry had known that the article detailing the coven was going to raise a buzz, but he had hoped it would die down within a few days. Nonetheless, he did his best to ignore the gawkers and led all his ladies to their seats. Unfortunately, he and Susan had not yet been seated when Dumbledore had arrived from the head table.

"Harry, I really did want to talk to you before you made such a fuss. I don't think a commotion like this is really the way to start the new year."

"I'm sorry, but the commotion wasn't my choosing headmaster. We're just having dinner."

"I understand also that you didn't wait to move in like I asked."

"No, we arrived hours before you and since I'm Lord Gryffindor, I felt it was my right to take up residence in Gryffindor's apartment. Given our number, we had a bit of unpacking to do."

"Still, I would have appreciated the courtesy…"

"And I will extend you that courtesy. Since you arrived only shortly before dinner, perhaps we can talk immediately after dinner. Does that work for you?"

Harry rubbed his signets and stood straighter as he let a bit of magic leak outward at the headmaster. Dumbledore could tell he wasn't going to get anywhere further and all eyes in the hall were on them now.

"Yes Lord Gryffindor that will be fine, will you and your…family please meet in my office a half hour after dinner."

Harry nodded and returned to the table, sitting between Susan and Daphne. Each took a hand and did their best to soothe him as the platters began to fill and dinner arrived. Across the table, Neville looked at Harry appraisingly, as did his other former dorm mates. Ron was still a bit jealous of it all, but Harry had been quite generous over the holidays and he certainly didn't want to argue with the type of power he had seen on display. Dean didn't seem to much care, while Seamus remained suspicious about the whole idea of the coven. Gradually throughout the meal the conversation settled and returned to a semblance of normality.

After dinner, the coven stopped at Gryffindor tower briefly to talk to their friends. They promised everyone a tour of the apartment later, but then had to head on to their meeting with the headmaster. When they reached the gargoyle, Harry pressed his Gryffindor signet to the head of the gargoyle. It had the desired effect as the beast swung aside and admitted them without warning. He did knock when they reached Dumbledore's office, but he enjoyed seeing the man a bit rattled by their sudden entry. The seven of them stepped in and presented themselves to the headmaster, remaining eerily quiet since he had summoned them. He did seem a tiny bit rattled as he stroked his beard and pondered Harry.

"Well then Harry, about why I called…"

"I'm sorry sir, but I have to wonder about your method of address? You are addressing me commonly, as a schoolboy. The matter you have called me here about, is it in regards to my school studies then, or in regards to something else? If it is, then please address me by my appropriate title."

Dumbledore eyed him warily and sighed.

"My apologies Lord Gryffindor, old habits are difficult to lose when you are my age. I have called you here out of concern about the impact of your unique family on the school. Also, the rights by which your family has taken up lodgings within your apartment are worrisome. The coven bond is not acknowledged by the Ministry."

Harry nodded to Daphne, who stepped forward. They were ready for this argument.

"Headmaster, the rules of the Hogwarts charter date to before the founding of the Ministry and are separate from the Ministry. It is actually important that Hogwarts remains autonomous from the Ministry. Within the charter, the definition of bonds is laid out under the druidic rules, which are quite similar to those that Gringotts follows. This is mainly used in regards to determining professorial relationships, but it also applies to us. Under those guidelines, a coven bond is accepted. Hermione, would you please confirm the bond for the headmaster?"

Hermione cast the spell and the familiar blinding light lit up the room. Fawkes began trilling and did several circuits of the room, obviously quite happy. Several of the portraits made interested comments. It took Dumbledore several minutes before he brought the room to order.

"Alright, I suppose by the charter you are correct, but there is still the impact on the other students."

"What impact sir? We defeated Voldemort. I should think that would be the greatest and best impact. As for seeing a bonded coven, we are teaching them to not believe prejudicial dogma that has no foundation in law. Honestly, sir, right now this is all new and fantastic, but give it a few weeks and everything will settle down."

"I suppose with Lord Gryffindor on the Board that it will be hard to do much about this. I do have another concern. What about Miss Tonks? She's no longer a student."

"She'll be commuting each day. As for meals, if you're truly worried about a few galleons, I'll pay the school for it. It seems petty, but I can afford it."

Dumbledore clearly wasn't happy, but he had no further arguments that could stand before these seven bonded, headstrong young people. He settled back in his chair with a sigh and wished them a good evening. The coven made their way to depart, but Harry paused first. He whispered to his ladies, asking them to proceed back to find their friends as planned. He needed to have a chat with the headmaster and it was best to have it now, one on one. None of the ladies looked very happy to leave him alone, but they finally agreed. Once they had left, Harry turned back to the headmaster.

"Lord Gryffindor, was there something else?"

"We can drop titles now. I want to talk man to man with you and its best that we get this done now. Its been delayed too long."

"Really? Well, alright, what do you want to discuss?"

"You and your need to meddle in everything Albus. Yes, I'm using your name. I said we would discuss this man to man. Go ahead and call me Harry. Let's drop titles and pretensions here. For practically my whole life you have tried to orchestrate what happens to me. You knew about the prophecy and then later about the horcruxes and you had an idea of how you wanted them dealt with. Now they've been taken care of and not in a way you're happy with. You need to realize other people have ideas that are as good or even better than yours. Change is coming Albus. Taking care of Tom Riddle the way we did was just the first step. I have a lot of reasons to be angry with how you manipulated my life, about the childhood you put me through, but I am choosing to move past that and focus on my future. I am warning you though, I am Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter now and I won't take anymore. Stop your manipulating and be willing to embrace the changes that are coming. You are the old way Albus. We are the new way. I'm going to have a lot of children and I plan on ensuring a bright future for them."

"Really Harry, you hate me so much? What kind of changes? Our world doesn't take change well. It has to be done right, slow and steady."

"No Albus, I don't hate you anymore. Maybe for a brief while. I dislike your methods. I don't trust you for sure. And that line about change, I don't trust that either. I think you will see that our world can take more than you think."

"What do you plan on doing? Are you going to use your title as a founder to push changes through? To bully the board?"

"Dammit Albus! There you go with your controlling again! I do not plan on bullying anyone. Just because someone doesn't follow your vision doesn't make them wrong. You should look in the mirror when you talk about bullying the board. Look, you've made a lot of mistakes. Because of you, I lost my childhood. Because of you, I almost died countless times. Deny it if you want, but the truth is still there. If you want to start to make things right, try working with me and my brilliant ladies rather than fighting us. A coven is not evil and you know it. We're going to do great things for this world. Luna printed a list of research references with her article on the coven. Do your own research. I'm done arguing with you for tonight, but think on what I've said. I can't overlook the past, but I'd like to at least be able to work together for the good of Hogwarts' future."

With that, Harry gave a crisp nod and exited the office, leaving a contemplative Albus Dumbledore behind.

Later that evening the coven gathered a group of their friends from all four houses met in Lord Gryffindor's apartment for an impromptu welcome back party and apartment tour. It was a good time to catch up more and everybody enjoyed seeing the private apartment that had been sealed off for many years. The night went late and the entire coven fell asleep quickly after everyone left.

The rest of the week was spent with all of the Hogwarts students getting back to their study schedule. Tonks was back to a regular schedule at the DMLE. Over the holidays, she had worked shifts on two days, but Amelia had graciously granted her quite a bit of vacation time, citing in large part her contributions to Voldemort's downfall. She lived at the castle, but commuted four or five mornings a week. Dobby was a great help, apparating her to the gates, where she would then make the brief walk to the Broomsticks and floo to the Ministry atrium. In total, her 'commute' took less than ten minutes. After their discussion on the first day back, Dumbledore had not brought up the subject of her residency again thankfully. Harry did speak to Professor McGonagall and arranged to pay ten galleons a month for the two meals a day that Tonks ate in the castle. The professor frowned, but didn't object. For Harry the money was nothing and he thought it would help his case during the Board meeting.

That meeting arrived on Friday the 5th, and was scheduled as a luncheon to be held in the staff lounge. The start was scheduled for eleven and Harry rushed there after class. He ensured that he was wearing his school tie, but his robes were fine silk, embroidered with all three of his crests. He also pushed his magic into his signets so that all three were visible, with Gryffindor in the prominent position. As he entered, he noticed that almost everyone else had already arrived. Dumbledore glanced at him and looked resigned. Augusta gave him a slight smile and a nod. She had sent him an owl two days previously, agreeing to stand with him on the points that he had outlined on the parchment he had delivered over the holidays. Calming himself and carefully exuding a bit of his house magic, he made a circuit of the room to greet everyone as the last stragglers arrived, accompanied by Professor McGonagall. Along with the ten surviving board members and Harry as Lord Gryffindor, there were three candidates for the two vacant positions. Harry found it rather telling that no one else had posited any candidates against Dumbledore's two.

Once everyone had arrived, Dumbledore sealed the room and everyone took their seats. Before lunch was served and business was addressed, the voting on candidates needed to be decided. As Headmaster, Dumbledore took the lead on the meeting. Harry knew that as an heir to a founder, that he had equal right to lead, but he was fine to do a bit of learning during his first meeting. He would be upsetting things enough very shortly. He focused inward a bit and then projected confidence as he listened to Dumbledore.

"Thank you all for attending this first meeting of the Hogwarts Board of Governors for 1996. As you are aware, we have two vacant positions that need filling. I have located two more than suitable candidates, but one other has been proposed as well. We also have with us a unique new member. Lord Gryffindor joins us as the first sitting heir of one of the founders on the board in centuries. Welcome Lord Gryffindor."

Harry gave a nod of acknowledgement and allowed Dumbledore to continue for a time.

"Now then, our candidates are the admirable Matilda Ratson and Georg Dimple, as well the addition of Martin Greengrass. Shall we vote now?"

Harry restrained a frown as he shifted forward in his seat just a bit.

"Excuse me Albus, but I think perhaps we should discuss the candidates before jumping directly into a vote. Also, I need to correct a minor slip. The third candidate is _Lord_ Martin Greengrass. Now then, I have looked into all three candidates and all have admirable qualities. Mrs. Ratson did indeed serve in the Ministry's education department for forty years and designed numerous policies. I certainly must commend her past public service, but I am concerned that her retirement occurred close to thirty years ago. With the downfall of Voldemort, I believe we should be looking forward to a new generation. I mean no disrespect Mrs. Ratson, but I believe you should be allowed to enjoy your retirement while a younger generation guides the future of education at Hogwarts. As for Mr. Dimple, he served on the ICW Education Review Board up until two years ago and is familiar with the more modern guidelines of education that are seen in many other countries of the ICW. I think his addition to the Board of Governors would be welcome to bring Hogwarts in line with the other magical schools on the continent. Finally, I believe Lord Greengrass brings the unique perspective of a parent of two current students, as well as being a respected leader in business and finance, which is of course always an issue that the Board needs to address. I believe his skills could be well utilized by the Board. Those of course are my thoughts and I'd be welcome to hear what others think of our three candidates?"

Several around the room looked a bit shocked at the concise statements from the youngest in the room. Dumbledore was having a hard time controlling his obvious dismay at having the meeting sidetracked. Amelia was just barely controlling a smirk, while it was Augusta who spoke first after Harry.

"All good points that I concur with Lord Gryffindor. We need to look forward to a brighter future now that we have a guarantee that Voldemort is finally gone, rather than just the hopes we were left with fifteen years ago."

"New ideas! But Augusta, the boy started a coven!"

"Ulysses! He is the lord of three houses, he is most definitely not a boy. And from what I understand, it was the future Lady Potter who led the research that started the coven. I will admit to being a bit shocked and not completely comfortable with the idea, but I also am capable of reading and research and I have conducted my own since their article was published. They were correct that much of what we know about coven magic is false. So, while I am still not completely comfortable with it, I will say the alternative would be much worse. And he is obviously Lord Gryffindor. Hogwarts recognizes him as such."

Harry decided a bit of a demonstration would be helpful here. It was obvious looking around the room that others were still too focused on the coven rather than his title and status of Lord Gryffindor. He rubbed his signets and focused on Gryffindor, drawing on the house magic. He let it flow out a bit and felt the wards of the castle respond. Deciding for just a minor display, he allowed a brief rumble to resound in the room. The usual ruby nimbus also shone about his shoulders. Then he let the magic flow out as he looked around the room. Several board members audibly gasped at the display of power. Harry briefly had the idea that if they really saw what he could do they would probably need to change their pants. With the combination of three house magics, as well as the coven magic, and his own magic now unfettered from the horcrux, Harry was just coming to realize how powerful he was. Within the room, Amelia decided to take control.

"Well then, does anyone have anything else to contribute to the discussion on the candidates?"

When no one else did, Dumbledore called for votes and the room erupted into chaos once again as the rules of the school charter were brought to play when the vote reached Harry's seat.

"Lord Gryffindor votes seat 1 for Mr. Dimple and seat 2 for Lord Greengrass. Also, please remember per charter that heirs of the founders receive ten votes."

Dumbledore took a couple of minutes to regain control, while Minerva sighed and produced a copy of the charter. She located the clause in question and several board members threw up their hands in disgust when they found out that Harry was correct. Still, no one went so far as to resign. In the end, Martin took the vote easily and Mrs. Ratson graciously bowed out, actually seeming pleased.

With the vote out of the way, Minerva escorted her aunt's old friend Matilda to the floo and then returned to the lounge. By that time the elves had lunch served and discussion began on the topics that the Board needed to cover. Harry loaded his plate and began to eat, listening as minor details of budget were covered. A few were obviously bored by this and turned their attention to the new Lord Gryffindor, curious about how Harry had discovered his title and bit disappointed when they learned it was via a simple Gringotts lineage test. That brought around a subject that Harry needed to handle first off.

"There is one subject of a personal nature before we discuss school business. I have taken residence in the Gryffindor apartment with my coven mates. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say that the nature of coven magic means that the modern protections aren't always available and one of my ladies informed me over the holiday that she is expecting. Under the charter, our bond is acknowledged, so I believe staying in school shouldn't be an issue."

A couple of the older members appeared a bit scandalized, but Minerva was the first to speak.

"No Lord Gryffindor, if I remember the charter, the old rules acknowledge the druidic bonds. Albus?"

The headmaster didn't seem pleased, but just shook his head. Augusta was the one who spoke up, actually seeming a bit excited.

"Anyway, since you are in a private apartment, as long as you all maintain a proper level of schoolwork and Poppy sees no issues with the mother or child's health, then I don't see a problem. How will the child be cared for next year if you continue and everyone has classes?"

"Well, the coven will all work together to help. We also have house elves who are underutilized and I'll probably bring Winky from the Manor and have her look after the baby when we're all in classes."

"I see no issues then Albus, Minerva. I daresay a nanny elf is better suited to care for a baby than most first time parents."

With that decided, Harry was relieved of one minor concern that he knew he could have pushed the issue on if he had needed to. From there the conversation moved to different classes and the topic of Care of Magical Creatures came up. Specifically, some of the questions around some of Hagrid's creatures. This was a good segue for Harry to insert some of his ideas and he joined the conversation.

"Well, I consider Hagrid a good friend and he certainly knows his creatures, but I would be the first to tell you that he needs to be directed a bit more. What we consider perfectly interesting creatures, seem a bit boring to him. His breeding of blast ended skrewts is a good example. Fire crabs are a sixth year creature and are bad enough in themselves, but unlawfully creating a hybrid of them for entertainment purposes can't be allowed. I know the class was allowed to waver for a few years under a number of substitutes. I think perhaps using the ICW guidelines with a list of creatures by year would be a good way to bring the class back on track. Hagrid may find it boring, but I think he could still teach it well. The class should be monitored for a while to ensure that the curriculum goes well of course."

Atticus March and several others nodded in agreement to that. Just the idea of fire crabs, let alone some hybrid had caused a few to shudder. Harry was pleased when Martin took the lead as lunch came to a close and brought the first vote to the table.

"Well then, I see no need to wait since we have other business. I'd like to vote that we use the ICW creature guidelines by year for Care of Magical Creatures and that it be reviewed with Mr. Hagrid so that he is aware that he will be required to follow the guidelines precisely. I believe this should be implemented by autumn, although the current classes should be monitored for safety until the new guidelines are adopted."

This was an easy vote that no one could really object to since it spoke directly to student safety and the vote was unanimous. Before some of the sitting members could start hashing the budget, Harry decided to bring up his other points.

"Now, since Care of Magical Creatures has been addressed, I have some other points. As a current student, as well as Lord Gryffindor, I have a unique viewpoint. I am also coven bonded to five brilliant current students, and one brilliant alumna who is not long departed from these halls. We have all discussed the school at length. In addition, we have read through the history, as well as personal accounts of Hogwarts. We have also discussed the school with various family members so that we understand the changes the school has seen over the past generation or two. Finally, we have studied the ICW education guidelines and reforms of the past few years. That has led the seven of us to draw up a few suggestions."

Harry paused to sip his water and could see that Albus wasn't looking pleased.

"Lord Gryffindor, perhaps we could discuss these points later…"

"Now Albus, I for one would be interested to hear what Lord Gryffindor has to say. Especially since my Susan has contributed to these ideas."

Harry nodded to Amelia and continued.

"Alright, I'll take this by subject. First, History of Magic. This subject is a disgrace. Hogwarts falls at the bottom of test scores compared to all other magical schools. Our 'professor' is a ghost who harps on a few elements of history and seems unaware that the last hundred years has even occurred. It is well past time for Professor Binns to be asked to move along and a corporeal history professor hired. While many changes can wait until autumn, this is a change that I would like to see as soon as possible. If Binns is hesitant to leave, I can invoke my privileges as Lord Gryffindor and force him off the lands. I would like to avoid that though."

Mr. Dimple was the first to speak on this subject.

"Well, I can confirm from an ICW point of view that the British scores in History of Magic have been raising questions. I agree with Lord Gryffindor. With that being said, I have to ask where the money will come from for another professor? What happened to Professor Binns' salary when he passed on?"

Albus sighed, having foreseen but hoping he could have avoided this.

"The salary has been added to the school scholarship fund for families with more than one child attending the school, especially those with need such as the Weasleys. I don't believe the salary has been increased in fifty years though, so there will still be a difference to be made up."

Minerva sighed and turned to her longtime friend.

"Really Albus? Scholarships are all well and good, but the entire school benefits from a decent history professor. I move to vote for an immediate search for a new professor. Mr. Dimple, would you be willing to assist the search given your contacts within the ICW educational community?"

The man gave a nod of acceptance and the Board agreed to a vote, which was unanimous in agreement. The issue of funding still needed to be discussed, but Harry thought his next topic would help.

"Next, I'd like to discuss Divination. I don't want to argue over the validity of the subject as a whole. There have certainly been true seers in the past. That being said, they are few and far between. It is a rare and unique gift that cannot be taught, much like other gifts. For example, I am a natural on a broom. My friend Neville is a natural with plants, but avoids brooms at all costs and I don't think he would mind my saying so. I could spend hours teaching him, but his aptitude would only increase marginally. This is something important that Hogwarts needs to cultivate in its students, learning your strengths and then focusing on them. With the likelihood of maybe one true seer being seen in these halls every ten years, I think resources could be better spent elsewhere. I think perhaps the new history teacher could devote a portion of time over a couple of weeks introducing the basics of divination and its tools as a facet of wizarding history. The funds then from Divination could go toward making up the difference in the salary for a history professor."

Harry's idea caused a good bit of discussion, with several of the older members still having fond memories of years in Divination and not willing to do away with it completely. Albus also still thought it should be kept as an elective. After about twenty minutes of discussion, Augusta called for a vote. With Lord Gryffindor's ten votes, plus a couple of allied votes, Divination was due to be gone the following autumn.

"Well now Lord Gryffindor, what else do you and your ladies wish to shake up?"

"Muggle Studies. Or, as the ICW terms it, Non-Magical Studies. Britain is one of only a few countries who still uses the outdated term muggle. The course currently taught is close to a hundred years out of date, just mentioning the 'modern' invention of railroads. Being muggle raised, I am trying not to laugh at that. Professor Burbage has never even ridden the Tube in London. When I spoke to her recently, she admitted to last visiting muggle London briefly when she was ten. I like the lady, but she is pureblood and has no desire to learn about muggles. We need to hire a muggleborn. Also, the class needs to be mandatory for all first through third year pureblood students. Voldemort may be gone, but the ideas he spewed will remain unless the next generation is shown different. Also, this is only one side of the coin. Being non-magical raised, I had no need to attend non-magical studies. On the other hand, I was lost in the wizarding world. Gas lamps were a novelty, while my first meeting with a house elf was startling. I propose that we also need an alternate class called wizarding studies. Again, this would be for first through third years. This would cover the basics like how the lights work, all the way up to the structure of the government. One of these two classes should be mandatory for all students through third year. For magical raised students, it should be non-magical studies. For non-magical raised, it should be wizarding studies. For those who reside in the middle, their head of house would be their guide in deciding which side they are least educated in. It would continue through the three years and then cease to allow time for more intensive electives."

Harry paused briefly before continuing with another key element of this plan.

"Part of this has to be a chance to experience the world you are studying. Obviously Hogwarts gives us the experience of the wizarding world every second, but magicals have no way to really see how a typical non-magical family lives. With that in mind, as Lord Potter, I am making a donation of 20,000 galleons. The money will be marked to build a cottage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade beyond the magical wards. It will be known as the Lily Evans Potter Non-Magical Studies Cottage and will be open for students to visit so that they can see an example of a standard non-magical house with electricity and appliances. From the front gates, it will be a short walk of ten minutes. This will allow a class plenty of time to travel to the cottage within a class period and work within the cottage before then returning to the school. I know this is a big change, but I hope to start on it soon if these changes are approved."

This was by far the biggest change yet and brought the most heated discussion. Albus stepped over to Harry with concern in his eyes.

"Lord Gryffindor, I know your intentions are good, but so many changes in so short a time…"

"And why not? Now is the time. Voldemort is dead. His followers are left scrambling and in ruins. We need to show magical Britain how to move into the new century Albus. I know you were born in the last century, but I am looking into the 21st."

Dumbledore caught his breath and leaned back for a moment. Was Harry right? Soon he would be seeing his third millennium. True, he had only seen about nine years of 19th century, but still. Perhaps it was time to yield to the young. All of this change made him uncomfortable. Even more so than the coven business did. Still, Harry and the ladies had found a solution to Voldemort that he had never dreamed of. He sat and pondered in silence while he listened to the rest of the arguments.

When the votes were done on the renaming of muggle studies and the dividing into two classes, it passed with fourteen votes, of which Lord Gryffindor was ten. It wasn't resounding, but it was a move forward.

"Well then Lord Gryffindor, what's next?"

"One more class to be addressed, Potions."

"Ah, well I think I have news that you will find welcome Lord Gryffindor. I was going to announce it, but our meeting got a bit waylaid."

Harry raised an eyebrow and nodded at the headmaster.

"Yes, as you noticed, Potions class hasn't resumed yet. Severus hasn't responded to my inquiries and has apparently left the country. I have located a replacement who will be starting the week after next."

Harry just barely suppressed a shout of jubilation. That was one thing he didn't have to force a vote on. While he was choking back the shout, Georg spoke up.

"Perhaps a suggestion Albus, something that is common in other schools. Your school has a single Healer, who I have heard is quite busy. I noticed that you don't offer any classes in Healing to your NEWT level students?"

"No, unfortunately Poppy does not have the time."

"Well, other schools usually employ an OWL level Potions master. Then a NEWT level master is employed for sixth and seventh years, who also handles additional courses in Healing. I think the offerings would be beneficial."

Several others voiced approval to that idea. Then Madam Longbottom brought a suggestion forth as well.

"Hogwarts currently doesn't offer much in advanced NEWT studies beyond the basic subjects. I would think that courses in Government and Business would be beneficial given the number of Lords and Scions attending the school."

"A capital idea, if the instructors can be found, and of course, if the funds for the instructors can also be located. I know the Potions master I found was a bit hesitant about teaching NEWT studies and would be happier only teaching the OWL levels."

That statement led into the next two hours of discussion, all regarding funding. It wasn't the most exciting for Harry, although he knew it was necessary. He soon found out that Hogwarts had the ability to generate income, which had largely been allowed to go stagnant. With Harry's vote as Lord Gryffindor, the Hogwarts fields were re-opened to magical crops and Albus agreed to discuss with Hagrid the harvesting of certain ingredients in the forest once again. For too long much of these had been stockpiled for the war. Simple things like unicorn tail hairs lost in bushes could bring ten galleons a piece. One hair was long enough to be used in three or four wands. That was just one example of how each little bit would go a long way to helping the school out. Also, the Board approved the first increase in tuition in six years. It was never a popular move, but it was a fact that had to happen on occasion. This increase was a mere fifteen galleons per students, which was the absolute minimum that the Board could get by with.

By the time that the monumental Board meeting was finished it was almost dinner time. Each member felt like they had been through a marathon. Harry knew he still wasn't popular with some of the Board members and that the Headmaster was still unsure about his new role, but he felt that Hogwarts was now on the right track.


	25. Events in the Key of Life

Chapter 25 – Events in the Key of Life

With the Board meeting out of the way, Harry was able to focus on his OWL year and just being a normal student. Or as much a normal student as he would ever be, considering he was lord of three houses and member of a coven. While he had been the most outspoken during the Board meeting, the other board members were now taking a more active role in finding new professors, which he was grateful for.

Not long after their return to school, the coven had another distraction from school. Their article about their family and their part in destroying Tom Riddle's soul containers, thus weakening him and allowing the Aurors to take him out with little fuss, had been met with mixed feelings as they had expected. Their mail was scanned by Dobby as it arrived and anything he deemed harmful was immediately put under elf stasis and bundled off to the DMLE. Basic howlers were destroyed before they could even begin. Letters and other packages were handled by Dobby and he actually enjoyed the task, using form letters to reply to the basic thank-you notes. Letters ranting at them about their unnaturalness were put in a box to be used as fireplace kindling, and within a few weeks begin to diminish. A good majority of letters seemed to be people who simply had to write to get their thoughts on paper, and the thoughts were often of two minds about the coven. As a whole, magical Britain didn't like the idea, but thought that under the extreme circumstances what they had done was justified. The fact that their wonderful Boy-Who-Lived was involved seemed to help some with acceptance.

One person who took about a week of contemplation over the holidays to settle his own stomach on the matter was Minister Scrimgeour. Amelia had briefed him completely on the morning after the solstice and he had been shocked to find out the details. To then see it all published a few days later, with only a few specifics of the horcruxes omitted, was a blow he had not anticipated. Giving the public that kind of information was something he would not have recommended. It also led to his office being inundated with letters and demands in the days leading up to and through the new year. Some wanted the coven arrested and sent to Azkaban, apparently not believing or not having read the fact that not a single law had been broken. Others demanded awards and a gilded statue. Rufus waited until after the new year and let some of the furor die down before meeting with Amelia to discuss an award, because even he knew that doing nothing would see a mob at his doorstep before long.

Two days after Hogwarts started the new year, the Minister arrived at the school and was shown to Lord Gryffindor's apartment for tea. All of the coven were there to greet him. They were cordial, but none made overt gestures, all still wearing their school robes from the day. He delivered the news that after much debate it had been decided that all seven would receive Order of Merlin Second Class awards.

Although there had been some discussion of first class, since they had not been in active combat, it was felt the second class was warranted. Not that any of the coven actually cared, the awards were unexpected. Hermione would be only the second muggleborn to receive an Order of Merlin, and the other had been a third class. Everyone enjoyed a lovely tea and the Minister also brought the welcome news that the Wizengamot Judicial Committee had returned from their holiday break and met to review additional charges for the convicted criminal Dolores Umbridge. Since she had committed crimes while already being a convict, she wasn't afforded a full trial. The end result was another twenty-two years added to her sentence for the crimes of attempted escape, stealing a wand, and assault on an Auror. It was more a formality given her other time in Azkaban, but the it was good to know that justice was being served on all counts. With the final details set for the ceremony, the Minister left the coven to their studies. While the news of the awards was startling, it didn't change the workload of their schoolwork so the coven members sent off notes to their families and then returned to more mundane tasks.

January the 22nd was a Monday, but it was also the one month anniversary since Voldemort's death and thus had been marked as the day of the awards ceremony at the Ministry. All of the extended family of the coven was to be in attendance, including the Grangers, who were being provided muggle amulets that would allow them entrance. Sirius had agreed to collect them and apparate them to the visitor entrance. Minister Scrimgeour did take into account that it was a school day and waited until three in the afternoon, so that no classes were interrupted. Still, it was a bit of a rush for everyone to finish classes, return to the apartment, clean up, change to formal house robes, and floo from the Headmaster's office in time for the ceremony. When they arrived, the Ministry atrium was packed full of people and lined with Aurors watching the crowd. The walls were festooned with bunting and a wizard airhorn band played an unusual tune that nonetheless added a festive air. The coven arrived with the headmaster in the minister's office and then traveled to the atrium via lift a minute later, immediately starting a resounding cheer. It was all a bit much for Harry, who looked like he wanted to flee. Instead Susan and Luna each took an arm, while the others gathered around him and led him into the crowd.

The strength of his witches around him was also helped when Harry saw the first rows were occupied by all of their extended family, including Neil Granger who was brandishing a very nice, very muggle camera that made Harry grin. Seeing them, Harry gritted his teeth, took his seat on stage, and proceeded with the ceremony.

Thankfully, Amelia had interceded on their behalf and advised Minister Scrimgeour that the coven could not be away from school for long. He kept his speech brief and then gave each of the witches their medals before finally calling Harry forward. The crowd went crazy and the lightbulbs flashed nonstop until Harry had had his fill. He shook the Minister's hand, allowed his medal to be stuck to his robes, and then returned to his witches. Then a moment of inspiration struck him and he reached for Hermione, pulling her up, while reaching for Luna and gesturing to others. They all took the hint as the coven gathered in a giant huddle and Harry proceeded to snog each of them in turn. Then the witches traded a few small kisses among themselves as Harry continued moving around the circle. They seemed oblivious that the crowd had gone quiet, but the flashbulbs had not. The coven could have cared less. When Harry was done, they all returned to their seats and grinned at their family. Sirius was smirking, Molly looked aghast, Arthur was palming his face, Jean was shaking her head, and Neil was still taking pictures.

With the snogfest done, Minister Scrimgeour regained control with a few more words and called the ceremony to a close as he invited everyone to a brief reception. That was the signal for everyone seated to stand and the chairs disappeared so that everyone could mingle as tables with steaming punch and platters of small cakes appeared. The coven members thanked the Minister before stepping down to talk to their families and letting their medals be seen up close. They were also accosted by a number of members of the press and spoke to them as they mingled, but refused to be pinned down.

After a couple of hours total at the Ministry, the coven all said their goodbyes to their family and made their way back to a floo to return to school. The medals were nice, but they were ready to put the whole business behind them and be a normal coven family.

It was during the last week of January when Harry's attempt at being as normal a student as possible took another turn in the opposite direction. He, Hermione, and Daphne were studying for Potions one afternoon shortly before dinner in their private common room when Luna and Ginny came downstairs. Ginny had seemed distracted when she had arrived earlier and had taken Luna upstairs to talk. Harry was worried, but knew that Luna would help her.

When Ginny reached the bottom of the stairs, she inched her way to Harry's side and obviously seemed unsure about disturbing him. Pushing his parchment back, Harry looked up at her and became even more worried.

"Gin, what is it? Come here."

Harry moved his chair back and opened his arms. Ginny took the invitation and sobbed lightly as she collapsed into his lap. Now Harry was really worried as he stroked her hair. Daphne and Hermione had set aside their homework as well and were now looking to Luna for help.

"Alright Gin, whatever is it? We're all in this together."

"It's my damn Prewett blood! Oh Harry, I know you have enough going on already, but I'm pregnant. Hermione, I'm sorry to take away from you. I know you worked hard on the potions to adjust cycles and you know my cycle was stubborn and we increased the dose and we thought it finally worked, but I still spotted, but in the end you thought it was enough, but leave it to a Prewett, I mean look at mum, she said she wanted a large family of course, but all dad had to do was look at her and she was pregnant, and grandmum was the same, and now me…"

Ginny finally ran out of breath as she buried her head in Harry's chest while he absorbed the information and the grin on his face grew. Although Ginny couldn't see it, the others could. He controlled himself for about another twenty seconds and then he was out of his chair, holding Ginny against him while he whooped happily and spun her around, causing the others to laugh. When he finally set her down, Ginny looked a bit greenish.

"Ooh Harry, I would watch the spinning. Wrackspurts congregate around pregnant women in the first months and make them quite dizzy."

"Sorry Gin. Look, we knew this was a possibility. The potions were never definite. Obviously in Hermione's case, neither was the charm. You all know I want a family of my own, I just get it sooner than I planned. Your mum will probably have my ears, but like you said, it's her family that's so fertile."

Ginny looked at Harry and could see how happy he was. That caused her to start crying again.

"Why am I crying all the time? What is wrong with me?"

"Hormones Ginny. Perfectly normal. I get them too. They've started to settle just a bit."

"Let's all go cuddle on the couches. As soon as Tonks gets home, we need to talk about formalizing ourselves as far as the Ministry is concerned. Especially now that my future Lady Potter and future Lady Gryffindor are expecting. Suse, has Aunt Amy picked a weekend for sure yet?"

Susan had been sending a lot of owls back and forth to Amelia, as well as using Harry's mirror with Sirius. With Amelia's pregnancy becoming more apparent, they had decided to marry over the Easter holiday, which encompassed two weeks, but there had been a lot of wrangling on schedules of attendees and picking a weekend.

"Yes. So, the Express leaves on April 5th, Easter is the 7th. We don't return until the 15th. Aunt Amy was thinking Saturday the 6th, but she has a new class of Aurors swearing in later that afternoon and the last thing she wants is to delay leaving for her honeymoon so that she can do a bit of work. So, they are back to the 13th. I think this time its definite. We actually just talked yesterday."

"Alright, that works. We need to wait until Tonks is here of course, but what about the weekend before for us? That would be the sixth. Maybe we can be excused to leave a day or two early if we get exams done. Then if we do a mid-day wedding and a luncheon, can Aunt Amy make her swearing in after? Then we go to the island for the week, come back for her and Sirius' wedding, have a day off, then back to school."

"Hmm, well, that's a packed schedule. But with all the babies coming, I guess it could work. We'll talk about it with Tonks."

"Whatever you ladies want. I've told you that your mutual decision is first on this. Just tell me where to be and when."

"And what to wear."

"Right, I need to know what to wear too."

Everyone laughed and snuggled a bit closer, temporarily delaying homework a bit longer.

When Tonks got home that night, she was thrilled at Ginny's news and soon agreed to the plan of going ahead with a wedding over the Easter holiday, alternating weekends with Sirius and Amelia. The consorts technically didn't have a formal ceremony, but everyone was in agreement that they were all going to be included. The ladies then decided that April at Potter Manor would be an ideal time for a spring wedding. Being south of London on the edge of the High Weald, the odds were certainly better than Scotland, and Harry hoped that his ladies got their beautiful spring day. Before plans went further, Harry called Sirius on the mirror and then handed it off to Susan as all the ladies tried to gather around it and Harry briefly had the thought that for a summer project he and Sirius should work on making a large wall sized version of the communication mirrors.

After a lot of chatter back and forth, the ladies on both ends agreed to the plans for weddings on both weekends. Amelia's Auror ceremony wasn't until four in the afternoon, so a mid-day ceremony followed by a luncheon would be ideal. She and Sirius were both congratulatory on Ginny's news, but promised to not say anything until an owl had time to reach the Burrow.

With the dates agreed, all of the ladies began writing letters to their families and the wedding planning began. Harry returned to his Potions homework, knowing he would be informed if and when he was needed.

The following day saw the entire coven gathering in the late afternoon and making their way to Madam Pomfrey. She had done an initial exam when Hermione had returned to school, but now it was Ginny's turn. She also checked over Hermione, who was about a month ahead in gestation. Both witches had nausea potions and were admonished on what to eat. They also had a list of potions and specific potions ingredients to avoid. It meant a few adjustments in the potions lab, but other than that, they were able to continue their studies.

Soon January was gone and February slipped by quickly. Everyone was busy with their schoolwork, especially those in OWL year. For Harry, he also had Quidditch. The twice weekly practices were his chance to unwind. Daphne was on the reserve team for Slytherin and flew with the team on occasion, but was never called to play. Ginny had also been on reserve for Gryffindor, but had resigned when she had discovered she was pregnant. That was the biggest sacrifice the pregnancy called for.

The first result of the Board meeting was seen during the third week of February when Professor Binns was dismissed. As expected, he had ignored the Headmaster when first informed. At that point, Harry had arrived in the classroom and activated his Gryffindor signet. He then, as Lord Gryffindor, informed Professor Binns of his death and retirement. The ghost seemed shocked and then gradually faded away. Harry was glad that he seemed to have moved on. In his place, Mr. Dimple had located a professor with unique ancestry by the name of Leland Chichester de Crespo. The man was three-quarters blood of English and Spanish ancestry and had most recently been teaching at an exclusive, small school in Seville. His wife was English and wished to return home, so Scotland was at least much closer and he had welcomed the job offer. Thankfully, although his last name was a mouthful, he preferred to be called Professor Crespo. Though his formal, crisp robes and perfectly trimmed, pointed goatee made students initially wary of the new professor, they soon found that he had a dry wit and bawdy sense of humor that enlivened the histories he delivered. His arrival at the castle was quite welcome.

The next result of the meeting was not as planned. Professor Trelawney had been informed that Divination was being discontinued as a subject come autumn and that she would be expected to leave the castle by the end of June. While this had been done in as professional a manner as possible, she had left the headmaster's office wailing. Then she had proceeded to stop a group of sixth years in the hall and 'predict' the headmaster's imminent demise. Albus Dumbledore was nothing if not forgiving and waved the incident off as Trelawney returned to her classroom. Unfortunately, over the next couple of weeks, her drinking became progressively worse to the point where a fourth year noticed that her 'tea' didn't smell much like tea at all. The headmaster and Madam Pomfrey both talked to her, but she waved them off. The next day she predicted a cataclysm and the destruction of the castle. Her last sentence was delivered seconds before she finished a cup of 'tea', took two steps to the right, and promptly fell down a flight of stairs. When she awoke two days later in the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey tried to talk to her about the incident, she predicted the women's immediate demise. Dumbledore was standing behind a nearby curtain and just shook his head. Even he had his limits. When Sybil Trelawney was released from the hospital wing the following day, he and Professor McGonagall informed her that she was being let go due to behavior unbecoming of a professor. A house elf escorted her off the grounds. The last Divination class taught at Hogwarts was on February 27th.

Another professor who saw changes due to the Board meeting was Professor Hagrid. The ICW had provided a syllabus for Care of Magical Creatures, years 1-7 and the headmaster had gone down to have tea with Hagrid and carefully explain that the syllabus needed to be followed precisely. Hagrid could still add unique details that he knew about each creature, but he could not embellish with creatures of his own. Although the big man looked downtrodden, he could see that his mentor was resolute and agreed. It was really for the best, as he only had two blast ended skrewts left alive and they had recently turned a strange green color and were smelling quite bad. He didn't think they would live much longer. It was quite sad really.

While his ladies were busy with their major side project titled 'wedding', Harry was busy with his project building the Lily Evans Potter Non-Magical Cottage. He had secured a tiny piece of land just outside of Hogsmeade for a mere 400 galleons. It was an extra scrap of land left from a larger estate and no one really had a use for it, but it was perfect for the project. Once purchased, he left school one weekend and floo'd to the Leaky. Once there, he met with Neil Granger, who he had been sending letters back and forth with, usually attached secondary to notes that were being sent to Jean with wedding details. He needed to visit a public non-magical library in London and Neil had agreed to help him locate one. As it turned out, there was one just a few blocks from the Leaky and they found Harry what he needed quite quickly, providing Harry with a number of stock house plans. The outing went so quickly that Harry and Neil then had time for a lunch of fish and chips and a bit of time to chat with just the two of them, which was a rare treat.

After lunch, Harry said goodbye to Neil and made his way to Diagon Alley and Gringotts. At the bank, he met with Silverclaw, who knew of a squib contractor that Harry could hire. They discussed a few more details with Harry's accounts, which were taking significant hits given the recent expenditures with the ladies, wedding, and the work at the Manor. Still, it would take much more before Harry would ever have cause to even begin to be concerned. And he knew that in a few years he would be back to recouping more in a year than he spent.

With a bit more time before he was expected back, Harry decided to make a quick trip by the Manor. Remus was surprised, but happy to see him. Harry assured him that this wasn't an inspection, he was just missing home. Remus had recently moved into a refurbished bungalow. He had also hired two farmhands and one family, whose head was now working on the orchard. It was just the start of March, but already the fields were being tilled and they were all eagerly waiting for the last frost so that the first crops could be planted. Each of the new hires was a lycan and all were beyond grateful for the opportunities. The Manor had six small iron barred rooms in the basement that the elves had completed for the nights of the full moon and Harry wasn't worried in the least. His orchard manager, Marcus, actually was married with two young magical children and now dreamed that he may be able to afford to send them to Hogwarts in a few years. Harry privately vowed to himself that it would happen. He also made a small side comment to Remus as they walked back to the Manor that there were plenty of good women who would be willing to overlook his illness and Marcus' wife was a good example. He left the matter at the simple comment, but hoped that Remus would take the matter to heart.

Once he was done looking around the grounds, Harry spent a few minutes talking to the elves. The Manor was in top shape, as he would expect, and the elves were all excited for the upcoming wedding. The ladies had decided on the unique and beautiful peony garden on the west side of the Manor to use for the wedding, and Dary was busy tweaking and sprucing to ensure that it was at its finest on the appointed day. Harry knew that if he could, the elf would command the weather to cooperate as well.

With his errands and a bit more done, Harry returned back to Hogwarts with his house plans in hand. That night he and the ladies looked through the plans and decided on a simple cottage that would fit well on the small piece of ground that Harry had bought. While they had initially considered a quite small two bedroom, Tonks had made the point that, while the house wouldn't be lived in, it would have to accommodate good size classes on visits. Then Susan made the point that if it was too tiny, purebloods would take one look at it and automatically assume it was a statement that non-magicals were inherently poor. Harry grumbled at once again having to consider such political implications, but he knew that some would indeed think that. He also agreed with Tonks' assessment.

In the end, the floor plan chosen was much more than Harry had originally thought he would need. Rather than a bungalow, it would resemble more a respectable stone cottage with a detail of a stylized masonry rock chimney in the front, offset against the main rock of the cottage. The front would also feature a porch that would be handy for arriving during Scotland's harsh winters. Stepping inside, there would be a small foyer with a good size closet for coats and boots. A short distance down from the foyer, stairs would lead up to the second story. To the left would be a large living room, that would include a library on the back end. The back of the house would feature a fully equipped kitchen and dining room. Upstairs would feature three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Originally Harry's plan had been two and one, but again the argument to show a prominent non-magical home won out. The cost would be a bit more, but a couple thousand galleons was worth it for the image it would portray.

The cottage planning went for several hours, but then schoolwork had to be attended to. Over the next week, the ladies contributed ideas, but Daphne pushed Hermione and Ginny to focus on the wedding and let Harry have his 'project' instead of taking over completely. The two were not only his two pregnant witches, but also tended to be the two most assertive, which a couple of the others in the coven were making efforts to curb this tendency.

A week after his trip into London, Harry and Sirius walked into Hogsmeade and met the squib contractor at the Three Broomsticks. They went into the pub and talked over drinks. After looking over the plans and discussing details, the contractor was eager for the project and quoted a reasonable price to get started. Harry didn't have the time nor inclination to worry about getting competing bids, so they shook on it and then left the pub to walk out of the village to the property. Once there, Mr. Matthews, the contractor, took a number of measurements and surveyed the sight lines for about twenty minutes. With all of Harry's plans and notes in hand, they walked back to the village. It would take a couple of weeks for him to arrange his sub contractors, especially since he knew Harry wanted some of the work done non-magically. The plan was to take videos of some of the non magical work of different trades and have it played at different times for the classes. He promised to keep Harry updated via owl on the progress. With the plans decided, Harry was happy to have the project underway and wished Mr. Matthews well as he left the village.

As Sirius and Harry walked back into the village, Harry steered them toward Honeydukes. Sirius snapped his fingers as if remembering something.

"That's right, Amelia's supply is running low. She has taken a liking to this special dark chocolate they make with Peruvian cocoa. She swears the taste is unique and I'm certainly not going to argue with her. I had forgotten how moody pregnant women could be, but going through this with Amelia reminds me of when your mum was cooking you pup. She kept all of us Marauders on the hop. The last months especially. I was on a hit wizard mission in Paris and was teased to no end when I made a point of stopping on the way back for a batch of chocolate croissants. For a week though, I swear Lils loved me as much as James. Remus made the mistake of trying to snag a piece of one. It wasn't pretty."

Harry chortled at the image of his pregnant mum facing down a werewolf over a chocolate croissant.

"Well, all my ladies like their chocolate, but Hermione is definitely craving more and I'm just starting to notice it with Ginny."

"How did that news go over at the Burrow by the way?"

"Mixed. One paragraph has Molly going on about not doing things proper, the next she is fussing over wedding details. Then she is discussing knitting patterns. About what Gin expected. I honestly hadn't planned on making things official this quick, but I'll be glad to have it done. Anyone who doesn't like it can take a flying leap off the nearest tower. We're all in love and we even toasted a Dark Lord for them."

Sirius chuckled as they reached Honeydukes and each wizard began making their selections. Sirius of course made his purchase quicker, but then was entertained at the detail that Harry went to in his selections and packaging of items for all six of his ladies. It was somewhat surreal to be shopping with his godson for chocolate for their pregnant women.

"I tell you pup, any man who envies you should just shadow you for a day or so and then see what he thinks."

"I agree. Not that I would change a thing, but being the lone wizard in a coven of seven is not something that just any wizard can take on. And I'm not just talking myself up. I mean, look at Ron. He can't keep a single girlfriend happy."

"He on the other hand is a normal fifteen year old boy. You, my pup, don't do normal."

Harry saluted in agreement as they reached the gates to Hogwarts and said their good-byes. Sirius apparated away while Harry made his way back to the castle. Now that it was early March, the snow had started to recede and the Scottish Highlands were beginning to possibly think about yielding to spring in a month or so. Harry enjoyed the slightly warmer temperatures and a bit of broken sunshine, but he still had a fair pile of homework to be attended to for the day.

As March progressed, so did wedding planning and cottage building. Both of Harry's pregnant ladies were showing progress as well. At close to four months, Hermione was no longer able to hide her condition. At a month behind her, Ginny could still manage with school robes, but without them she was also obvious. Not that either wanted to deny their conditions. Both were glowing and happy as they sailed toward their wedding. With attentive coven mates all around, as well as a mostly supportive castle full of schoolmates, Hogwarts was the most peaceful either could remember it ever having been.

There were some who were unhappy with the changes that were beginning to be seen, mostly in Slytherin, although Malfoy and his goons hadn't returned. Lucius was in Azkaban and the Malfoy fortunes were much diminished. Narcissa had little choice but to sell their large manor and move to a small secondary property. She then used some of the funds to send Draco to Durmstrang, hoping that he could escape his criminal record. Both Crabbe Senior and Junior were dead, as was Goyle Senior. As for Goyle Junior, his mother had fled the country with her children to her ancestral homeland in Germany. There were still other bigots in the house, but they found little support and even the Headmaster was being much firmer with them now. It was one example of the Headmaster's gradually changing viewpoint that was starting to manifest.

Soon the Easter break loomed and the study madness was matched only by wedding madness. The previous two Hogsmeade weekends, as well as two additional weekends that the coven had gotten leave for, had been spent taking care of fittings and various arrangements. Harry had had a vague idea before that weddings required quite a bit to do, but realized over the intervening months that he really had NO idea. He was once handed a sample of two fabrics in two greens and told to pick a shade and he was at a loss since he had to squint to even see a difference in the two. It was typical for much of the planning.

One Saturday outing that he was completely excited for was a visit to a special clinic that was attached to St. Mungo's. It offered a number of specialty medical treatments that in the non-magical world might encompass plastic surgery and a number of other disciplines. For Harry, he went to see an eye specialist. He soon found out that the glasses that the Dursleys had picked up for him from a donate bin years before were all wrong, not that he was much surprised. He spent the next four hours undergoing a series of spells and potions to correct his eyesight. He was still in the middle of the treatments at lunch, so his coven mates brought him a lunch of a big, juicy burger and chips that he ate while his eyes were completely patched. It made the meal messy, but he found it quite fun to have the messes kissed off his face. It wasn't until he heard a chuckle that he realized Healer Friederich was back and laughing at his predicament. It also signaled the end to lunch and another two hours of treatment. By the end of the day, Harry left with special sunglasses to use for two days. After that, his eyesight was perfect and his ladies were thrilled to be able to see his beautiful eyes unimpeded. The cost had been 900 galleons, but it was worth it.

As all of the students were in the final week preparing for exams, Tonks arrived home to the castle one evening and obviously had something on her mind. They all went to dinner and then after, Harry pulled her into his lap on the couch for a bit of a snuggle to see what was going on.

"I've been thinking Harry. Everything is going well at work. We've been rounding up the Death Eaters that fled. And Gringotts has been happy to help freeze vaults since we let them keep half the seized funds. There's still work to be done, but it's not as unknown and dangerous day to day as it was. And I've been thinking, well, that I want a baby. I'm 22 now and I'm ready. I know you've already got two on the way, but the timing feels right."

Harry smiled and kissed her long and hard before pulling back reluctantly.

"I'm alright with that, if no one else has severe objections. Ultimately it is the two of us, unless it impacts the rest of the coven adversely. I've told each of you, that I'm ready for baby making whenever. Just tell me when and I'll gladly contribute."

Luna giggled from across the room while Hermione shook her head at him. Everyone agreed that they were fine with Tonks trying for a baby.

"Well then Harry, I have the advantage of being a metamorph. With the unique control of my body, I can control ovulation. Has come in handy for birth control up until now. Anyway, I thought I'd start the process a few days before the wedding. It takes some time to get ovulation ready, but then I should be fertile sometime during our honeymoon week. I figured that would be a good time for your contribution."

Harry grinned and proceeded to resume snogging her. Eventually Daphne had to separate them and waved his Potions exam work at him, causing Harry to groan as Tonks nodded and pulled herself off his lap.

Finally, after two and a half days of grueling exams, the Easter break arrived. The coven had hoped to leave early so that they could prepare for the wedding, since the Express left on the morning of the 5th and the wedding was the 6th of April, but their last exam was on the afternoon of 4th. Still, they did use Harry's status as Lord Gryffindor to leave via floo that afternoon so that they were at the Manor for dinner. All of the extended family were already there and the elves had obviously been busy, with the entire Manor gleaming and fresh flowers adorning every surface.

As soon as the coven arrived, the list of tasks began with every detail needing attending to. While the ladies began talking to the elves, there were no immediate tasks for Harry, so he took a few minutes and decided to go for a walk outside, making his way toward the spot that was designated for their ceremony. The peony garden was beyond stunning and the weather forecast indicated a sunny if somewhat mild day with temperatures around 16 or 17.

The peony garden was a unique part of Manor that Harry could appreciate since Aunt Petunia had tried to grow the difficult flowers, which tended to only offer a single bloom after three or four years of dutiful care. Thanks to a family diary that Milly had directed him to, Harry knew that the flowers were the legacy of his great-grandmother Aislynn, wife of Henry. In 1918, the couple was married barely a year when a massive storm struck the lower half of the British Isles and especially wreaked havoc on the Potter lands. One victim of the winds of the storm was a walnut tree that was said to be as ancient as the isles. Aislynn was a daughter of the Druid tradition and had wept over the loss of the grandfather of the land, until in a dream she was shown turning the loss into beauty. Her young husband was busy with repairing the fields and such and happily let his wife do as she would. The result was that the tree was harvested by wandmakers and mystics, but the core of the walnut tree was made into a new mantle for the center hearth of the Manor. The hole left from the roots of the tree became a pond and the area around it that was ravaged by the loss was gradually turned into the peony garden, complete with winding patterns in the Celtic form of Aislynn's ancestors. Harry may not have been raised in the tradition, but he had to admit that walking the paths of the garden brought a unique peace to him. In the center of garden, approaching the pond was a large glade surrounded by the profusion of color and fragrance of the massive bushes that only peonies that had been growing for close to a hundred years could offer. It was here where the ceremony would be held.

Harry walked the beautiful stone paths and looked at each bush, carefully pruned so that it wouldn't appear so. The paths had also been groomed and Dary had done an amazing job. The chairs were already set out in the glade, a couple hundred simple wooden chairs that were festooned with sprigs of looped baby's breath. All looked to be in order, so Harry decided to just enjoy his walk as he gazed out on the pond. His great-grandmother had created a unique spot of beauty, a mix of English with her Druid roots. The flowers she had seen and loved as a girl with the paths of Celtic symmetry throughout. Harry enjoyed it for a few minutes longer before returning to the Manor to see what other tasks needed doing before dinner.

Dinner that night was festive, as the extended family hadn't all been together in a couple of months. The various Saturday outings and Hogsmeade weekends usually saw different groupings splitting off. The three pregnant women were doted over at the table and Amelia thought the whole scene was a bit surreal. Her niece would be getting bonded the next day and she would be married in a week. And Susan had two coven mates expecting as well. She knew that all of the coven would raise their children together, so Susan would be something a bit more than an aunt in a few short months. Combined with Sirius' relationship with Harry, it was all a bit boggling and she set the thoughts aside.

After staying up late talking, the coven allowed themselves a brief lie-in the next morning, but then had to be ready at ten when the final fittings were being done for dresses and robes. Especially for the two pregnant witches, who hadn't been measured in two weeks, this was critical. The elves spent the day working on food shipments, preparing as much as they could ahead of time. Although the Potter elves were doing their best, Harry didn't want them to overdo, so he hired an additional dozen elves for 48 hours to help with prep, the wedding, and clean up after.

Harry meanwhile finalized the security details with a security team he had hired. All invitations were portkeys that could only be activated by magical signature. Each could also bring a single guest, but only one. The portkeys were set to deliver guests to the garage, a distance from the main manor. The garage had been cleared out and was a large space that would allow multiple arrivals. It also had a catwalk and security would be stationed on multiple levels ready to lock down the building and provide support from the floor and above should hostiles decide to enter with any of the portkeys. As far as media, Xeno was covering with Luna's great aunt helping and a friend taking pictures. Harry had contemplated allowing others in, but decided Xeno could handle the exclusive and sell pictures if he wanted. Amelia also had Aurors on standby. She couldn't technically provide government forces for a private event, but once an attack happened, she could call them in quickly. Not to mention that anyone who messed up this day was going to have to reckon with the coven members themselves.

After a flurry of activity that lasted through the middle of Friday afternoon, the last items on the checklist were finally completed and the coven found themselves with time to spare. Hermione was beside herself, certain that something had been forgotten or a list had been missed. Harry had assured her that all was fine and that it was time for a nap. Gathering all his ladies, the seven disappeared to their bedroom. The nap didn't come for a while, but when they appeared for dinner, everyone was decidedly relaxed.

The morning of the wedding dawned sunny as promised, although with a bit of a bite to the air that thankfully diminished as the morning wore on. The coven decided to eat a light breakfast in their informal dining area and then Harry found himself dismissed to a guest bedroom on the second floor while the ladies took over the master suite. More specifically, they took over the master bathroom. All the mothers and Aunt Amy joined to help in the preparation of hair and makeup. For those who hadn't been to the third floor yet, seeing the Arabian Nights bedroom and massive bed was a shock. Molly had to be dragged out of the room before she passed out. Amelia had dragged her into the bathroom though, which sent her into a new kind of shock. The elves showed up with a tea service and extra chairs and everyone gradually settled as they marveled at the wonderful tea they were enjoying in a bathroom that was more grand than most homes. Once the shock of the space wore off, preparations began.

Meanwhile, Harry wandered downstairs to check on the rest of the preparations. He didn't need to take near as long to get ready and decided to peek in the kitchen. His toe was barely in the door when an elf he didn't know bustled him out with assurances that all was well and that the 'master needn't bother himself'. Huffing, Harry next decided to check outside where the marquees had been set up for the luncheon the day before. The table settings had not been done yet and he wanted to check on the progress. When he arrived though, he found though that the elves had been busy during the night and once again he was useless. Turning back around, he wandered back into the manor and made his way to the library. As he entered, he found Martin, Sirius, Remus, and Neil. Martin grinned when he saw the look on Harry's face.

"Ah, there you are Harry! Had a look around and found how utterly useless you are at this point of the game now?"

"Um…yeah."

"Well, not to worry. Between the women and the elves you really couldn't do better anyway. Come, something for the nerves."

Harry didn't really have nerves, but he was feeling a bit put out, so he accepted the drink. It was still a bit early in the day, but it was a special day. As he sipped the drink, he found it did calm him and he took a seat by Sirius. The next hour plus was spent companionably with the males of his extended family. At one point they decided to rouse themselves for a couple of rounds of billiards, which Harry was decidedly bad at, but still enjoyed. He tried to keep an eye on the clock, but needn't have worried since Winky popped in precisely at a quarter to eleven.

"Master Harry needs to be getting ready now."

Harry nodded and grumbled as he accepted a couple of slaps on the back and made his way to his assigned guest room to shower, shave, and dress. He did take a bit more time to make sure he was looking sharp, but he was still downstairs by half past. He checked in with one of his security detail and was notified that the first guests had just begun arriving. Harry knew that would be Neville with Ginny's older brothers not far behind. Although Harry wasn't having a best man per se, he had asked Neville and the older Weasleys to act as ushers. He had considered the idea of a best man, but then the decision would have to be made about bridesmaids and the numbers would have to match according to several of his ladies, and with six ladies having to decide, it just got too complicated. This was just another way Harry didn't do normal. He walked out of the manor to the path that led from the garage and saw Neville approaching with Bill and Charlie just behind him. He greeted them and then led them to the ceremony area. The twins and Ron were already there, lounging in chairs, and Harry gathered them.

"Alright, thanks for helping me with this, Ron and Neville both would have been choices to stand up with me, but I've explained about the mess with that. Anyway, you know the path from the arrival building to here. I need you to line the path and help direct the guests along please."

"No worries Harrikins. By the way, any muggles?"

"None that you will have to worry about. Hermione's parents are here already and Amelia will be going with Jean to collect her grandmother and bring her directly. She's the only other family who knows about magic. Found out during second year. Bit of a story, but we'll save that for later. As for Tonks, her dad is bringing his parents directly. Hermione has some other family, but she isn't real close to her aunts and uncle so she didn't mind not inviting them and it makes things easier."

Bill nodded and the guys all convened and decided what points they were going to take up. Soon they had themselves spaced on the path and Harry went back in the house to check on the extended family. All the men were ready, with Ted off to collect his parents. Winky appeared to tell him that Amelia and Jean had just left, so that meant that Hermione's grandmother would be arriving shortly. Harry had met the woman about five weeks previous, on a Saturday trip to have lunch. She knew they were engaged, but nothing else. He had dreaded that meeting for the entire week before, but Bianca Elmont had taken it in stride. Apparently she considered this no worse than 'some of the goings on we got up to back in the sixties'. Hermione had been shocked, while Jean had just laughed and Harry had sighed in relief. Now he headed back to the entrance of the garden to wait for her arrival.

Harry didn't have long to wait when Amelia arrived with Jean and Bianca. The small woman with a cloud of pink-white hair stepped forward to hug Harry and offered her cheek for a kiss. Then she looked around the garden before turning to look at the Manor, letting out a low whistle.

"My, I do say, it looks like you will have no problem supporting lots of women and little ones running around. Quite impressive my lord."

Bianca turned around and winked at Harry as her daughter shook her head and Harry offered his arm to lead her to a seat. Several other early arrivals were already in place, including Minerva McGonagall and Harry wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not when the two women struck up a conversation. Then the pair of classical guitarists began playing and he knew it was time to take his position at the front, where Abel Merrythorpe was waiting to officiate this most unique ceremony. Abel was a long time friend of both the Greengrass and Bones families and was practiced in a variety of different types of wizarding ceremonies, both traditional and contemporary.

As Harry stood waiting, he enjoyed the beautiful but simple music as he watched all the guests filter in. Between the seven of them, the guest list was around 270, helped by the fact that they had many friends in common. Several of the witches also had family and business ties, as pureblood England was really quite small. A good portion of the crowd were school friends who they had just seen days before and represented all four houses. Although there weren't many muggles, there were still some, as well as muggleborns and a lot of halfbloods. It was a decent mix that was the beginning of a promising future.

Harry's musings were cut short as the music changed to announce the arrival of the first of his ladies. Since they were foregoing other attendants, there were no flower girls or ring bearers, which were also uncommon for wizarding ceremonies. Each lady came by house, with Hermione as the future Lady Potter in the lead on Neil's arm. She wore a dress of palest yellow with a gauzy flared skirt that made her appear to float. Behind her was the consort to House Potter, Daphne on Lord Martin's arm. She wore pale blue. Next came the future lady Gryffindor, Ginny on Arthur's arm, dressed in pale green. Behind her, the consort to House Gryffindor, Susan was accompanied on Sirius' arm. That decision was one she had made several weeks before and had brought tears to the marauder's eyes. Susan wore pale peach. After Susan, the future Lady Peverell, Tonks came on Ted's arm dressed in pink. Finally, the consort to House Peverell, Luna was on her father's arm dressed in a delicate blue. Each of the ladies had picked a dress in a unique, spring colored shade that suited their own coloring. Each also was unique in cut and style. Harry was awestruck at all of them, not that he looked bad himself, he cut a dashing figure in a cream suit with pale green waistcoat and a matching pale green half overrobe that offered a unique mix of magical and non-magical style. The green also set off his eyes perfectly.

Officiant Merrythorpe grinned happily at this unique group and opened the ceremony with a few brief words about the unique coven bond that already existed between these seven. Then he cast the spell to show the bond, which brought a gasp from a number of the guests. Any who might have doubted, could not deny the bright nimbus that caused them to shield their eyes. Once the coven nimbus faded, he next cast the spell of binding for the marriage bond and began the more standard Ministry ceremony. Then he proceeded with individual vows as Harry started with marriage vows for Hermione, then moved on to consort vows for Daphne. As he moved down the line, each witch moved into place by his side until all the vows were finally complete. For Harry, he had made sure that the promises he made were essentially the same for all, even if the officials would see the bonds as something slightly different. Once Harry and each of the witches had said their vows, each of the ladies stepped forward and addressed the other five women of the coven, vowing to love each equally. This was something else shocking to the audience, but Merrythorpe had known this was planned. Each of the witches made sure that it was known that this was a true seven way bond. Once all the vows were said, Merrythorpe then had Harry address the audience regarding the coven rings that they each already wore and the significance of them, meaning that no other rings were needed. Once Harry finished, Merrythorpe cast the second half of marriage bonding to seal the spell he had begun earlier. With that final spell and Merrythorpe's declaration, Harry finally heard what he had been waiting for as he was finally told to kiss his bond mates. The next five minutes were spent with round robin kissing that the coven mates manage to restrain themselves from turning into full on snogs just barely. Finally, they finished and all linked hands with Harry somewhere in the middle. They then turned and walked together up the aisle to the cheers of the crowd.

Reaching the end of the aisle, the coven group of newlyweds all turned right and circled the glade where the guests were sitting, taking themselves around to the far side of the peony garden. Here they came around the south side of the pond and their photographers followed, as well as the entire extended family, as pre-arranged. For the next half hour a plethora of photographs were taken with the backdrop of the gardens and pond. While the wedding party and family were busy, the guests meanwhile were directed to the marquees where fountains of elf wine were flowing and small platters of savories were floating around as the sounds of a modern wizard nine piece orchestra played nearby. Once the pictures were done, the wedding party happily rejoined their guests and mingled for a while before calling for lunch to begin. All of the guests enjoyed a delicious three course seated lunch with the light orchestra playing in the background. Sirius and then Neville stood to say a few words to wish Harry and the ladies well before a massive confection of cake that could only be assembled via magic was rolled into the marquee. The seven all drew their wands to slice into it and then pieces were traded all around before the elves took over and all the guests began to be served. Minutes later, Harry rose and thanked everyone for coming, then announced that they had an island waiting for them. The seven all held onto the chain linked to Harry's ring and winked out as their guests cheered and the party came to a close.

The coven arrived a couple of minutes later on the soft sands of Potter Cay and everyone gave a sigh of relief. The wedding had gone well, but they were all ready for a week to relax with just the seven of them. And Dobby of course. The elf had insisted on accompanying them to the island while the others stayed behind to clean up after the wedding. He had already done the initial preparations by bringing all their bags and unpacking them in the newest addition to the main house on the Cay. As another side project, the ladies had insisted that none of the four bedrooms in the main house were the proper size for the coven. The solution was to add a second floor to the main house that was an entire suite. It included a bedroom, bathroom, and dressing suite. It was absolutely huge and utterly amazing, with an entire wall of one way magic glass that looked out onto the ocean. The glass also slid aside to a broad balcony, giving the option when open to truly combine the indoors and outdoors. The new 'coven's suite' was everyone's first stop. After a thorough inspection that assured everything was installed exactly as specified, Harry began to look around for swimming trunks. Then he realized that all the ladies were removing their dresses and laying them out carefully. He drooled as he watched and then realized that they weren't putting on suits of any sort. As Daphne headed back downstairs, she turned and looked at Harry.

"Come on love, it's just us on the island. With magical sunscreen charms, there's no need for suits. We already warned Dobby."

Harry grinned as he looked from Daphne and then to Susan, who was also now naked and heading down the stairs. Happily, he joined them with the others not far behind.

The rest of the week on the island was spent in a flurry of sun, sand, and love. From the first minutes that he lay on the beach, Harry found himself wrapped up with Luna, who was screaming his name and scaring birds out of trees before long. When he looked up after his first round, he saw Hermione and Susan recovering together. Then Tonks joined him and Luna and he found himself quickly ready for another round. At some point he needed to rinse some sand and made his way into the cove, where Daphne found him and they frolicked in the light waves. When they tired, they found blankets waiting under the trees and cold fruit drinks with long straws that would allow sipping while reclining. After everyone napped, Dobby announced that he had caught some fish and Harry wanted to grill it. Dinner was simple, eaten under the stars with his loves. After dinner they all retired to the hot tub and later to their bedroom.

This set a pattern for the next week, as the coven all enjoyed various games, including volleyball and snorkeling. They saw little need for clothes, except for activities such as jet skiing, where some protection was thought to perhaps be necessary. Dobby wasn't seen often, but food, drinks, and supplies appeared whenever needed. Harry wondered some days at his stamina, but figured the coven magic helped. Tonks was certainly doing everything to ensure that her fertile time was well utilized, while the two already pregnant witches were especially randy.

Eventually their week of fun and relaxation drew to a close, although with it they had the upcoming excitement of Sirius and Amelia's wedding. On Friday the 12th, they portkeyed back to the Manor and found all the other elves waiting. The madness from the wedding had been cleaned from the Manor and Harry had to admit that it felt good to be back home.

Immediately after returning, everyone floo'd to Bones Manor for a luncheon with the entire extended family. Amelia was in a state of panic, but Sirius was doing his best to keep her calm. Most of the arrangements were in place and all of the coven put themselves at the couple's disposal as needed for last minute chores throughout the day.

The following day, Saturday the 13th, saw the late afternoon nuptials of the Ancient House of Bones to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. The guest list was over 300 and security was tighter than it had been for the wedding the previous Saturday. After the ceremony, a full dinner was served followed by a formal dance in the tradition of the joining of two such notable houses. Everything went well, with only a couple of minor security issues with a few old purebloods who were quietly escorted off the property. By ten in the evening, Sirius and his bride stepped into a side hall and took a portkey to Paris for a week.

While the Potter Coven had enjoyed the break and the monumental weddings, just two days after Sirius and Amelia were wed, six of the seven found themselves busy with schoolwork once again. Four of those also found themselves facing OWLs in just a few short months. They had enjoyed the break, but life moved on.


	26. Finishing School and Moving On

Chapter 26 – Finishing School and Moving On

Within a couple of weeks of returning to school, April waned and May dawned with exciting, but not unexpected news. Tonks was successful in her endeavor and announced she would be providing House Peverell with its first new blood in fourteen generations. Harry was so happy in his first class after hearing the news, that Professor Crespo had to admonish him to to calm down, as he was unknowingly causing random objects to levitate around the room.

While Tonks breezed past any morning sickness, Hermione grew bigger and decided that she agreed with her mother, pregnancy was not glamorous in the least. Ginny on the other hand was just a month behind her and seemed barely affected, other than a few strange cravings.

The rest of the school year blew by all too quickly and OWLs arrived with a vengeance. Four of the coven were stressed and moody for most of the second week of June. Then the exams finally finished and the coven was happy to call an end to the school year.

When they returned to Potter Manor, Harry began to focus more on learning about the Potter family businesses. Remus had already been quite successful at bringing the Manor back to near full production and they spent quite a bit of time together as Harry learned about the different magical crops that the land produced in cycles at different times of the year.

Learning about magical crops brought to mind the meeting of the Hogwarts Board of Governors and the crops that used to be grown on the school grounds. When the previous Cropmaster had retired, the fields had been left to lie and the profits had been lost. As Lord Gryffindor, Harry insisted the fields be opened again. He knew a new Cropmaster had been hired, but he wondered how the crops were faring. With this in mind, he visited the school at the beginning of July and began to walk around. It was only a few minutes before Flynn McLeod, the Cropmaster, joined him.

"Aye there. Can I help ye lad?"

"Hello. You must be Master McLeod. I'm Lord Gryffindor, also known as Harry Potter, but you can call me Harry. I came to check on how the land fares."

The man seemed a bit surprised and stepped closer as he looked at Harry and nodded.

"Aye, my apologies Lord Gryffindor for not recognizing ye right off. I can show ye around, but it's still a right mess and the weather has been nigh unhelpful."

The next hour was spent touring the grounds, where Harry could see a lot of work had been done. Still, the crops appeared stunted. It looked like it would take a few years yet before these fields would turn a profit.

"Well Master McLeod, I can see you have been busy. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thank ye, but the ground needs water. Good rain, slow and steady like. And nourishment as well. That takes time."

Harry nodded and walked a bit further with the man before saying goodbye and leaving him to his work. He had a lot to consider and returned home. That night over dinner, he discussed with his ladies what he had seen. As he did, he noticed Hermione chewing her lip and then a few looks going back and forth between the ladies. They all seemed to be contemplating something.

"Alright, what is it? You've all got something on your minds. I know I can be a bit dense, but I can see you're thinking about something."

Ginny stopped eating and set her napkin aside.

"Actually my love, we might be able to help Hogwarts get its crops going and turn profitable again faster. That was one of the first uses for coven magic. You remember some of the stories about the early covens."

Harry paused and thought back. Ginny was right. Of course. The early covens primarily formed to focus their powers on crops and defense, the two most important areas to early societies. Still, they'd never discussed using the coven's powers beyond taking care of Voldemort.

"You're right, I had forgotten. Still, do we want to do another ritual? What about the side effects, especially on the pregnancies?"

"Well, let us research it a bit. I know we don't have long if we want to be able to impact this year's season."

The next day, Hermione gathered the entire coven with Susan by her side and a small stack of research data. They had found rituals that would help and, thankfully, the crop rituals were much less intense than the soul ritual they had used with Voldemort. After a long family discussion, the coven decided to move forward with the ritual on the full moon on the 19th. Thankfully, the worries about the purity of the coven and being free of potions and such wasn't a concern for the crop ritual. There were actually two components of the ritual and the planning began to have all of the elements in place before the time of the full moon. While Harry let his research specialist coven mates do what they were best at, he made another trip to see Master McLeod and explained a bit of the plan. The man seemed dubious, but had read about what they had done to take down Voldemort, and he was willing to give it a try. He was an expert in magical crops, having spent his whole life learning about growing the unique plants, yet his skills were being tested to their limits with the long unused farm lands of the glen of Hogwarts.

On the 19th of July, the entire coven arrived at Hogwarts and had dinner with the Headmaster and the professors who were in residence over the summer. Hermione had been in communication with Professor McGonagall, and the staff was all curious about the rituals. Although everyone was banned from viewing the ritual, the entire staff was waiting to see the results. Dumbledore was still a bit unhappy with the ongoing actions of the coven, but Harry exerted his rights as Lord Gryffindor and the headmaster had little choice but to concede. He knew that Harry could evict anyone from his ancestral lands if he wished. With everything set for the night of the full moon, the coven gathered in the glen with all preparations in place. Master McLeod meanwhile had left for a night at the pub in Hogsmeade, where he had been challenged to a tournament of magical darts, which would be more than enough to keep him occupied and distracted from what was happening up at the castle.

After dinner, the coven wrapped their arms around each other and made the long twenty minute walk across the massive breadth of the lands of Hogwarts to the center of the fields. Once they reached the fields, they set up their ritual circle and prepared for their rite. After what they had done to purify the horcruxes, any future rites would seem simple. The ensuing rite took a couple of hours and was quite straightforward, using Luna as the center focus, due to her unique tie to the land, most likely through her fey lineage. As the last words of the chant were said and the runes of the circle finished their burning, the different members of the coven pulled away from each other and settled back to rest. As they did, each smiled as they felt a light and warm summer rain begin to fall on them.

The group rested for another quarter hour after finishing before gathering their things and proceeding to the second rite. None bothered to clothe themselves as they all glowed glorious under the moonlight, wet in the rain and happy in love. They proceeded back toward the castle and moved down to the shores of Black Lake.

At the lake, another ritual circle was drawn and the merpeople began to gather to watch. The giant squid could also be seen floating nearby. This ritual was a bit different and Daphne had worked on it carefully, not wanting to bring harm to the sentient inhabitants of the lake. Instead, she focused on calling to a tiny variety of fish that was native and abundant within the lake depths. Meanwhile, Tonks had researched a translation spell and several of the coven had visited to speak to the Merchieftaness and advise of the plan. The goal was to draw some of the excess from the lake, but not to upset the inhabitants.

A smaller ritual circle was drawn quickly and this time the coven's rite required a simple dance and chant rather than the usual sexual ritual. Still, the dance had to be continually maintained and all of the coven began to feel the fatigue after the first half hour. Then, after forty minutes, they felt a change in air pressure. Without looking up, they moved to the second half of their dance and focused on an image of the fields from whence they had come a mere hour prior. After another ten minutes to assure the distribution, they allowed their dance to slowly end before all slowly descending to the shoreline to rest. Susan did take the time to signal to the Merchieftaness, who gave a pre-arranged signal that all was well. The Giant Squid also waved a tentacle at them and the coven gave a mutual sigh. Their night was done.

What rain the coven summoned remained steady on the glen of Hogwarts for a full week and returned one day a week for the following month. Also, when Master McLeod returned to his fields the following day, he found not just water, but also a light spreading of the minuscule fish distributed over the fields. The smell over the next few days wasn't pleasant, but the rain diminished it quickly and the light spreading of fish provided essential nutrients. When the harvest came in September and October, it was plentiful and the ledgers of the school were once again in the black, despite additional professors and other new costs.

For the coven, the two rituals were interesting to show them another side to their coven magic. They rested for a day, but found no other side effects. Still, they all mutually decided that they would not advertise the coven's powers. Eventually, after the bumper crop at Hogwarts, rumors gradually filtered out, but they decided to let that happen naturally. Meanwhile, they resumed a pleasant summer at their manor.

While the Potter Coven was happy at Potter Manor, Sirius and Amelia had settled at Bones Manor, preferring it over Grimmauld Place. Even though their children would carry on the Black name, Susan wouldn't be using Bones Manor, so it worked well for them. On August 12th, Amelia gave birth to the Black heir, a small but loud baby boy that they named Hercules Axton. The baby was immediately beset by all his 'cousins' in the coven, who were immediately in love.

As usual, Hogwarts was due to start again on September the first, but the coven's plans took a slight detour when Hermione woke everyone shortly after two in the morning on the first. She groaned loudly, but wouldn't say anything else. It was Luna who pinpointed the issue.

"Hermione dear, you seem to have wet the bed and us. Do you need to go to the bathroom, or is it baby time?"

Harry had been barely awake, but shot up in the bed and looked over Susan and Luna to where Hermione lay. She was due in four days, so they knew it was close. He had no experience, but one look at Hermione's grimace told him what was happening. They already had arrangements with Madam Pomfrey at the school to do the delivery. She had been taking care of regular checkups, even during the summer. He thought Hermione would probably want to get to her. As soon as Hermione's face settled, he crawled over to her.

"Hermione love, what do you want? I can send Dobby to Minerva and she'll open the floo."

Hermione nodded and Harry proceeded with the plan. Dobby was gone and back in minutes, assuring them that the professor was waiting. With that, Harry helped Hermione into a house robe and then the elf popped them downstairs to the floo. Seconds later, they were stepping into McGonagall's office. She looked at them tenderly.

"I sent a castle elf to wake Poppy. She'll be waiting."

"I'm sorry. The hour is horrible."

"Nonsense dear. Little ones usually don't pick good timing."

The rest of the coven arrived and walked up to the infirmary, while Dobby popped Hermione upstairs. Madam Pomfrey was waiting and the group started the long process of waiting. Meanwhile, Dobby was sent off to notify all the family.

Despite Madam Pomfrey's use of relaxation spells and plenty of walking, Hermione labored for fifteen long hours. Finally, at a few minutes after five in the evening, she delivered a chubby baby boy that was the image of his father. As she handed Harry his first son, Hermione couldn't help but make the obvious comment.

"Well, here you are Harry, one clone for you. I may have baked him, but it doesn't look like you can tell."

Harry looked at his son, who he and Hermione had decided to name James Henry, and promptly broke down as he hugged his first born to his chest. He was still recovering as all of the extended family burst through the door, followed by several professors and the Headmaster as well. Madam Pomfrey looked at the crowd and instinct said that she should object, but then she thought about it and realized that it would be a lost cause.

As Harry relinquished his son to be passed around all of the family, sounds drifted up from the courtyard below with the distinctive sound of the arriving carriages. Along with James' arrival, the new year of Hogwarts' students had arrived as well.

The coven all ate dinner that night with Hermione in the hospital wing. Professor McGonagall meanwhile was given the delightful task of making the announcement of James' arrival at dinner that evening.

The first fell on a Sunday, so classes began promptly the following day. Hermione was given two mandatory days of rest, but was in class on the fourth. Everyone else started classes on time. Winky joined Dobby to help the coven at school and a nursery was set up in the Gryffindor apartment. Although Hermione had a lot of classes, between the alternating schedules that all of the coven members had, Winky only had a few hours in between where she needed to look after the baby. They all knew that she would have been happier with more time, but they were all determined to raise their combined children together.

The new year at Hogwarts also saw the additional education changes. Primary among these were the Non-Magical and Wizarding World Studies for years 1-3. Professors had been found for both and all purebloods were required to take the first, while non-magicals took the second. During the summer, heads of house had divided those in the middle into the ones that they thought were needed more. For those in 2nd and 3rd years, the professors had created modified courses that would allow a bit of catch up. The real beauty of the courses would be shown with the incoming firsties. By the time they finished third year, they would have a good base of understanding in the other world they didn't know.

The cottage that Harry had built had been finished over the summer and would soon be the talk of the non-magical studies classes. The first classes wouldn't visit it for a couple of weeks, but pictures were already circulating and many students couldn't wait to see how the non-magicals had managed some of the stone and woodwork, not to mention the things called appliances and electric lights.

The school also gained two new Potions professors. The temporary Potions professor that had been brought in when Snape disappeared had returned to the States. Now the school had a professor for OWL level Potions and another for NEWT level Potions and Healing. Professor Harvey was also available to assist Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing if needed.

Two more courses were added for NEWT level students, each requiring and E or better in the History of Magic OWL. One was a course on wizarding business practices, and the other was a course on ministerial law. Due to the poor quality of History of Magic under Binns, the OWL requirement was waved for two years, but a test had to be passed after sixth year that would allow a student to continue for seventh year training in one of the two advanced subjects.

With the improvement of core subjects, as well as the addition of a few critical advanced studies, Hogwarts was taking key steps toward the future. A few of the staunchest purebloods still grumbled about the changes, but they were in the minority with no support structure around them.

About a month after baby James was born, Ginny was working on homework in the apartment and repeatedly kept standing up to pace, complaining that she couldn't get comfortable. When she mentioned that her back ached, Harry obligingly rubbed her back, but that only provided temporary relief. Shortly before dinner, while she was pacing, she suddenly doubled over with a large groan and grabbed her belly. Everyone immediately realized what was happening and the entire coven proceeded to the hospital wing.

Ginny was blessed with a much shorter labor than Hermione and, shortly before ten in the evening on Friday, October 4th, she delivered a quite loud, but beautiful girl with very dark auburn hair. Harry was beside himself once again as Ginny announced that the name they had decided on was Merivale Wren. The name was a bit unusual, drawing from some of the ancient roots of Harry's ancestors, but everyone agreed that it seemed to suit the petite girl. When the family was allowed in and Molly saw her granddaughter, she was beside herself.

With two babies now, the Gryffindor apartment was all the more lively and Winky was thrilled to have another baby to look after. While baby James was the definition of chill, his sister Meri was the opposite, demanding immediate attention for any need. She kept all the coven and the elves on the jump.

Despite how unusual their family may have seemed with seven adults, two babies, and two resident elves living in a castle, while six of the adults attended school, it worked for the coven. They established a routine and Ginny even made time to begin flying again. They each maintained outside friendships and numerous friends were often seen in and out of the apartment. Harry had to smile when he walked in to find Neville sitting on the couch waiting for him. While Neville had been waiting, he had somehow ended up with Meri in his arms. The little girl had his friend completely enraptured and Harry groaned, trying not to think about what she would be like in another thirteen years or so. Neville just looked up and gave Harry a goofy grin.

With life moving apace, it wasn't long before the next addition to the family joined them. The entire coven had enjoyed a fun Christmas at Potter Manor with the entire extended family and was just getting back into the school routine. From the time of New Years, Tonks was officially on leave and was going stir crazy in the castle. Not that she had to wait too long. Madam Pomfrey delivered Harry's third child on January 16th, a good size boy that they named Shepherd Wilton. The day after he was born, his single lock of hair on the front of his scalp turned a decidedly blue color, sending Tonks into a cheering frenzy as it appeared that her metamorph skills had been passed along.

After the excitement of Shep's arrival, school settled back into it's usual pace. Tonks stayed in the castle for a month before returning to her Auror duties, although she was able to floo back to nurse twice during the day. Meanwhile Ginny and Luna were caught in OWL madness while their other coven mates were only mildly less frantic with their own schoolwork. Eventually the school year ended with Ginny and Luna enduring their OWLs and the entire family retreating for a week on the island after.

When the coven returned to Potter Manor after a bit of island rest, Harry was full of praise for Remus and all of those he had hired. Never had the Manor been more profitable. The orchard was flourishing and all the fields were in rotation. A small patch of ancient forest on the north side of the manor grounds had even been turned into a unique habitat for a small tribe of demiguise. Handling the tribe was a special woman named Gloria. She was of indeterminate age and was half fey blood, but had decided years earlier to live among a magical community and apprentice to a witch. She had been badly beaten and burned at one time and was severely traumatized and blind. Remus had found her via a friend and brought her to live in the forest. There she seemed content, and when the demiguise joined her, she seemed truly happy in their company. Once a year, she would shear their hair and the profits from the wonderful stuff that could be woven into invisibility cloaks and several other items was enough to keep the Manor's bills covered for well over a year. Gloria was paid with the use of a small cabin that was built for her and a small stipend of money. It wasn't much, but it was what she needed. In truth, she ventured out of the woods very little and often others ran errands for her. With her heritage, Luna soon became the one who formed a unique bond with the woman.

Other than Gloria, all of the staff on the manor grounds who weren't elves were lycans or family members of lycans. They were all grateful and worked hard. Although Harry hadn't really thought about it, lycans were also uncommonly strong with a higher stamina than average, making them excellent field workers. After a couple of years, that fact had spread and gained a lot of attention. The profitability of Potter Manor soon saw a few other families gradually start to hire reliable lycans who would gratefully then serve as loyal employees. It was a small change that over the years saw an overall viewpoint change in regards to werewolves overall.

As the coven enjoyed their summer, they received the happy news that Susan would be adding to their family next. Then Amelia announced that she was expecting again and she and Susan both admitted that being pregnant together was a bit surreal. Shortly before school started again, the Blacks received the shocking news that Amelia was expecting triplets. Sirius was admitted to St. Mungo's for a day when he passed out and concussed himself, causing the family to be called, something he would never live down. Amelia herself wasn't far behind him, except that she was reclining when she received the news. It seemed the healers all those years ago had been very wrong.

While the family was flourishing, the coven also considered their professional role as the only established and known operating coven in the world. Word had gradually filtered out about what they could do and they had received a few letters asking for help with unique problems. Some were so bizarre that they were immediately tossed in the rubbish bin, such as one Russian necromancer's request that they assist him with tracking a runaway construct. That sent chills through everyone and made Tonks want to wash her hands after reading it. Other requests required more thought. One that intrigued them was from a large coffee farm in Guatemala that was almost in ruin due to several years of drought. After a fair bit of negotiation, the coven agreed to help. Since the owner had little money after the difficult years, the coven settled for taking a percentage of the farm. They all traveled to Guatemala and performed several rituals. They had to return a month later to repeat the rituals, but the rain returned and the crops were saved. They also visited the following summer. In the end, it was a positive for everyone. The Potter holdings grew to including twenty percent of the coffee farm and turned a nice profit over the years.

That summer also saw the coven make a humanitarian visit to a small African country to aid with failed crops and oncoming famine. This was beyond anything they had ever considered during the initial plans to deal with Voldemort, but in the ensuing years, the Potter Coven would quietly help in small areas around the world. They of course wished they could save everyone who would ever die from starvation or malnutrition, but they knew that was impossible even for seven of the strongest magicals in the world.

Soon four of the coven began their last year at Hogwarts. The Gryffindor apartment felt like a home away from home, but Harry was glad that this would be their last year in it. With three babies now and another on the way, the apartment was reaching its limits. Although Ginny and Luna had one more year, they had decided that they wanted to commute for their last year and had received special permission to do so. They would need to attend special feasts, but would mainly be in the castle just for classes, utilizing Professor McGonagall's floo each day. While Tonks had made the choice to live in the castle when six others had needed to be there, the two of them couldn't see forcing the other five to remain there for the two of them, especially with all the babies.

The school year was going well when Hogwarts and the entire magical community received a shock on the seventh of October. It was mid-morning and Dumbledore was in his office working on some paperwork when his head hurt and he felt unwell. He stood to go to the hospital wing and realized that he was quite weak. He then called for a house elf before grabbing his head and collapsing. The house elf was smart and immediately went for Madam Pomfrey and then Professor McGonagall. Unfortunately, neither could help. The headmaster was dead at 111 of a brain aneurysm.

The school stopped for two days while the staff grieved and Professor McGonagall made arrangements. Since she was the deputy, she was made acting Headmistress. Lord Gryffindor called the Board together and they made the position permanent immediately. Then the Board began looking for a new Transfiguration professor.

The Saturday after his passing, a memorial was held for Dumbledore on the school grounds before his body was interred on the family plot in Godric's Hollow. McGonagall easily stepped into her role and life at the school moved on.

The coven was busy after returning from Christmas break with the NEWT year now within sight of a close and studying at a frantic pace. Harry was more than ready to be done with it all and received a brief reprieve on January 20th when a summons was received announcing that Amelia was in labor. Everyone was a bit concerned since she was almost a month early, but they had known it was a possibility with triplets. After taking a while to arrange their absence, the coven made their way to the gates and then floo'd to St. Mungo's, where they met up with the rest of the family.

The entire family waited and paced for six hours before the Black triplets finally made their appearance, small but healthy. Sirius looked a bit dazed, but thrilled. Hercules was just toddling about, unaware of the import of his role as a big brother. The Blacks were happy to round out their family with another son they named Leo, as well as twin girls they named Lavender and Lilac. Unlike Hercules, who sported his father's dark locks, the triplets all had dark auburn hair like Amelia. With their early arrival, all were small and delicate, but showed the fighting spirit that both their parents were known for.

While everyone was thrilled for the triplets arrival, school beckoned and the coven was soon back studying. Just when Harry was thinking that he needed a distraction and was considering a weekend outing, Susan provided a different kind of distraction with the birth of his fourth child on February 26th. The little girl was the image of her mother and Harry agreed with Susan's name selection of Amelia Marie, named after Susan's aunt and her grandmother. As Madam Pomfrey attended to the baby after the birth, she looked at them all wistfully, fearing this would be the last of the coven's babies that she would deliver.

After baby Amelia's arrival, the countdown was on until finally NEWTs arrived. Harry knew what the acronym stood for and decided for once that it definitely wasn't false advertising. Eventually the four of them finished and were back at the apartment to all collapse together in blissful exhaustion. He couldn't believe it, his formal education was complete.

After the exhaustion of NEWTs, a long spell on the island was definitely called for. After the first week, the extended family all joined them. With eight little ones under the age of two, it made for a much different family gathering than they had had just a couple of short years before. After a couple of weeks with the extended family, it was back to Potter Manor, where Harry would begin his work with his various holdings and taking control of the Potter businesses.

When September came, Ginny and Luna began their NEWT year as commuter students. This suited them both well since they were also both pregnant. Harry had sat down and tried to discuss numbers of children at one point, but it had gotten a bit daunting and he had given up. He loved his children and he had the means to care for them all, so why not have more? As many as each of his ladies wanted was fine with him.

Madam Pomfrey actually ended up delivering two more Potter Coven babies, with Ginny and Luna delivering baby girls within two days of each other and one week before their NEWTs. When they had tests, Winky traveled to the school with the babies and set up a temporary nursery so that between tests the new mothers could take time out to nurse. Of course, the occasional professor could be seen stopping in for a peek as well.

After the last two coven members finished NEWTs, Harry decided it was time for a long family vacation. Several months before, upon finding out she was expecting twins, Tonks had retired from the Auror force. She was a much different person in a much different place in life than she had been at eighteen when she had left Hogwarts. With Harry managing the family businesses and the other coven members doing additional studies, it meant none of them were tied down. With that in mind, Harry found a crew for his yacht that was docked at the Cay. Three days after Ginny and Luna's NEWTs, the coven headed to the island. After a week spent relaxing, the yacht pulled out and the coven spent the next fourteen months sailing the world. During that time magic allowed them a few trips back home for different events, including Christmas. Also, different members of their extended family joined them in different locales, but the majority of the time was spent seeing the world.

During their time away, Tonks gave birth to twins with the help of healers in Singapore. Hermione found out she was pregnant again and gave birth shortly before their world tour finished. Daphne also had her first during the tour. While it may have seemed strange to some, the yacht was massive. It was bigger than most homes, and they always made sure they were near a major city when the time came. Combined with magic portkeys that could be arranged and the fact that Susan was self training in some healer courses, none of coven members were worried.

When the world tour ended, all of the coven returned to life at Potter Manor and resumed their advanced studies. For Hermione, she was Harry's legal confidante when he needed clear legal advice without the usual concerns that solicitors had in his presence. She also used the Potter wealth to found a non-profit agency that provided pro-bono legal services for minority groups such as first generation magicals. She was one of a number of magical solicitors who volunteered their time with the group, but having her name associated with it was a boon that drew others. While she enjoyed professional success, she also loved her family and saw to the continuation of the Potter line, giving Harry three sons, as well as a daughter.

Daphne meanwhile became Harry's key partner in business and the Wizengamot. He had left his proxy with Madam Longbottom until the coven's world tour had finished, since he was in no hurry to take over his seat. Upon his return, it was Daphne who insisted it was time that he take it over. He often said that if he could, he would have her attend in his place. If she had been a wife and not a consort, he could have done so. As Hermione had pointed out years before, her pureblood training was vital to Harry. Martin grumbled on occasion about losing Daphne, but everyone knew he was actually quite fond of Harry. He also was quite happy with Astoria and her husband, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Justin was a bit of a snob, but he came from a non-magical aristocratic family and Martin was able to groom him easily. While Martin may have been a bit upset to 'lose' his eldest daughter, he was thrilled with the two sons that Daphne and Harry had to carry on the Greengrass name.

Ginny initially contemplated playing Quidditch professionally, but her Prewett blood meant that even the smallest slip ups caused her to get pregnant. Even a single day's gap with taking the contraception potion meant she would get pregnant. In the end she didn't quite match her mother, but she did give Harry six children. The frequent pregnancies meant that trying out professionally was never possible. Instead, her brother George talked to his old friend Oliver and got her an interview with Puddlemere, who was looking for a new announcer. She tried out for the job and found that she loved it. She ended up announcing for several teams and loved the fact that she could pop around to several games and still be home with the her family a lot as well. Despite what she said when she was younger, she did enjoy being home with her children. Unlike her mother, she managed to balance herself evenly with three boys and three girls.

Susan continued her training to be a healer in more formal studies and spent two years at St. Mungo's before opening a private clinic that Harry funded. It was branded as a 'health clinic' and marketed a number of all natural 'tonics' to non-magicals. In reality, it was a way to offer healing potions and treatments to non-magicals. The clinic came under heavy scrutiny, but with the backing of Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, it was unassailable and became quite successful. It turned a small profit, but Harry always ensured that the treatments remain affordable. While Susan remained busy as a Healer, she always made sure to be home on time to see her four children. It had taken four tries, but she had finally had one son to carry on the Bones name.

Tonks enjoyed their travels, but found that she missed some of the excitement of the DMLE, if not the paperwork and politics. So, a year after returning, she started her own private security firm. She hired a few ex-Aurors and hit wizards, but the bulk of her firm were lycans whose strength and speed were ideal for security. They formed small groups that could be hired by businesses and individuals, much like Harry had hired for the wedding. She also enjoyed being a mother to her two sons and daughter, as well as all of the other children of the coven.

Luna was another who enjoyed staying near the manor and pursued her life long love of painting. Harry converted a small bungalow on the east side of the manor into her studio and all of the children knew where to find Mama Luna if they needed her, even if only one of the boys and two of the girls were hers. She also still helped with the Quibbler and regularly wrote articles for publication.

While the coven members thrived in their individual pursuits, Hogwarts thrived as well. Headmistress McGonagall stayed in her position for sixteen years before deciding to retire at the spry age of ninety. Over those years she had tried to coax different coven members into more active roles at the school, but none of the coven were willing to take the time away from their family that an active role with the school would require. Professor Crespo was unanimously voted into the role as the school's new headmaster. In his time since arriving at the school, he had taken over as head of Gryffindor house and had become a quite popular professor that was renowned for his fairness. At the same time, Lord Gryffindor also introduced a vote for a term limit of ten years for the position that passed easily. Never again would one person exert the domineering influence that Albus Dumbledore once had.

While Harry was happy to leave his influence over Hogwarts to just that of his duties as Lord Gryffindor, those duties were still plentiful enough. The Board met at least four times a year and he visited at least a few other times, usually in conjunction with key Quidditch matches. While his visits were informal, everyone knew that he was always keeping an eye on things. Not that he had much to worry about. With Dumbledore gone and new rules and guidelines regarding conduct and punishment put in place by the Board and carefully enforced by all the staff, the days of bullying with little consequences were long gone.

Along with stricter punishments for rule breaking, Hogwarts allowed its students more leniency in its upper years for students to work toward their future goals. Part of this were the additional advanced studies for the upper years. Also, Hogsmeade weekends were still restricted to third years and up, but now sixth and seventh years were allowed freedom to leave on any weekend with the permission of their heads of house, as long as their school work didn't suffer. Since many of these students were seventeen or close to it, this was an important step that showed them the respect of their near adulthood. Many students used the time for advanced studies, internships, or weekend jobs.

Another area of change was not just allowing some students to leave, but was also inviting parents in. Lord Gryffindor worked with the Board and introduced an idea from his non-magical school days of an 'open house' for all parents, magical or not who wished to visit the school. After much discussion, it was finally agreed to be held on the eve of Samhain to avoid conflicts with any traditional rites. With Lord Gryffindor's help with the wards, a number of bracelets were created for non-magical parents, as well as portkeys. Then each house was notified and Quidditch captains met to arrange an exhibition match between members of all four houses. The first year saw over three hundred guests attending, with Amelia nervously providing over a hundred Aurors for security. There were a dozen arrests from three families with pro Death Eater leanings, but the arrivals had all been well staged and the rest of the event went so well that it continued each year after and would soon become a tradition.

As the castle changed and sent students out, as well as welcoming guests in, the once stalwart bastion that had seemed to be an island of stone ruled by a monarch with a long white beard softened its facade. It was a bastion of knowledge still, but it no longer repulsed all but a welcome few.

While Harry stayed involved as Lord Gryffindor, the other coven members volunteered at Hogwarts on occasion as well. None wanted to take a full time position, but the school still held a special place in each of their hearts. Susan occasionally would visit the hospital wing to talk about some new treatments with the NEWT students who were thinking of pursuing Healing. Tonks meanwhile would visit the NEWT DADA classes to show the students some of the possibilities available to them within the private sector. She also brought along some of her crew and students from a number of classes got a first hand look at how perfectly normal lycans were for most of the month. Luna meanwhile could be seen around the castle on occasion doing repairs on various paintings, but always willing to stop and talk with students about what she was working on. The Potter Coven was famous, but within the walls of Hogwarts, even a tiny firstie would soon find that they were perfectly approachable and normal.

And thus time moved on...


	27. Epilogue

**After the last chapter some wondered if the story was complete. Not quite. Here is the epilogue. I am giving it to you only a day later as a thanks to all my wonderful readers and because it is short.**

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Chapter 27 – Epilogue

Twenty Years Post Voldemort

**Christmas-2015**

Harry woke in his usual position among a delightful pile of womanly flesh. He heard a bell ringing and smiled as the tone became more insistent as the ringer increased their speed. Susan was on his right and groaned at the sound of one or more of their children ready to tackle their Christmas presents. A few other moans met theirs and Harry knew that, as usual, there would be no Christmas morning loving. He remembered back to the first couple of years of the coven before the children understood Christmas and he could wake slowly and move around the bed shagging his lovelies before proceeding onto presents. He had at least another ten years until the kids would be grown enough to see that happening again. Then he remembered his conversation with Ginny yesterday when he mentioned that and she had reminded him that by then there would be grandchildren wanting to open presents first off. Oh well, he did love the little ones.

"Come on lovelies, they're well trained to leave us be, but some of them have gotten good with charms and may be working on unlocking soon if we don't appear."

More groans did eventually lead to movement as the seven coven members stood and stretched before going to find house clothes and robes. Within a few minutes, they all stepped out into the informal living room outside the master bedroom. Perched on a sofa were a half dozen of the youngest, with the bell in hand. The bell was something that had been adopted about fifteen years ago as a way for the kids to call their parents out of the bedroom. The bell was charmed so that it would be heard even through the permanent silencing charms on the room. While the kids didn't realize this early on, as the older ones became more proficient in runes and understood better, they all agreed it was masterful work, while also agreeing that they didn't want to think further about it.

Harry grinned at the lot waiting for them on the couch and swept in to grab two under his arms, soon setting off a round of giggling. Daphne shook her head. Harry Potter, Lord Gryffindor-Peverell-Potter, one of the richest men in Britain, non-magical or magical, and one of the most powerful in the magical world, could still be reduced to a child among his children. He was thirty-five now and a bit of grey was showing at his temples, but his eyes were as full of green fire as ever and they each loved him more than ever. Seeing him with his children like this was one of the many reasons.

The family proceeded downstairs, gathering a few more children as they passed the second floor. By the time they reached the first floor, all of the Potter Coven family was in place around the tree. The extended family would gather later, this year at Bones Manor, which would be true madness, but for now it was just the immediate family. Harry looked around and grinned. His six ladies had given him twenty-two children total. The oldest, James, was nineteen now and apprenticing at Gringotts. He would probably take over the Potter businesses eventually, but Harry was still young and the experience at Gringotts would be invaluable. Like Hermione had declared at his birth, he looked like a clone of his father, although a few inches taller and with his mother's razor wit. The youngest in the room was Luna's last, Marguerite. She had been a surprise and Harry had almost lost both mother and baby at birth. The healers had saved them, but Luna would give him no more. Harry was fine with that, he needed his moonbeam. In truth, all the ladies were done with babies now, unless there were more surprises, but multiple measures were being taken to prevent those. Harry was more than happy as he looked around the room. All three of his houses had at least one heir, with Hermione surprisingly giving him three for Potter, as well as all three consort lines were assured. And anyway, soon there would be grandchildren.

**105 years later – 2120**

Marguerite Lovegood Collins Brown eased her old bones into her favorite chair. It was time to get back to writing. She was in decent health, but at a 107, she knew better than to procrastinate on projects. And hers was quite a project. She had started just over a year ago on the day of the memorial. Many thought it would be a sad day, but in reality it had been a day to rejoice in a unique and beautiful love that had proven out until the end. No one had written the full history of the Potter Coven and their family, and she felt it was beyond time. As the youngest of the children born to the seven coven members, this was a calling.

Marguerite sat back as she pondered her family. She had twenty-one older brothers and sisters. Oh, only two were full blood siblings, the rest were half siblings born to various mothers, but those distinctions were never made in her family. No, she had grown up with six mothers. Her own mother was Mama Luna to everyone. The others were the same to everyone, Mama Mione, Mama Daphne, Mama Ginny, Mama Tonks and Mama Susie. And Dad, of course. Her father was a unique and special man. Of the twenty-one, sixteen had married, although her sister Blossom had provided grandchildren without a union. James was gay of course, but his love Kyle had been a dear soul. She missed them both. And Bridget went both ways depending on the year. That reminded her, she needed to owl her sister. The Potter Coven's children were as prolific as them, providing 68 grandchildren. Those grandchildren became 189 great-grandchildren, and now 157 great-great grandchildren and still counting. Maybe more in the last few days, it was getting to the point that she really couldn't keep track.

The most important thing that her father and mothers instilled in all their children, and that was then instilled down the line, was a sense of fairness for all. Bigotry of any sort was not tolerated. Any unfair comment was slapped down immediately and brought a stern talking to. The money and businesses that the Potter Coven were tied to may have initially led to the beginning of the social changes in magical Britain, but it was their children and descendants who would carry it forward. By the time James started Hogwarts, a half dozen lycans were in attendance at Hogwarts. The following year saw a veela transfer student also attend. A couple of years later, a goblin child took a few classes on a part time basis. The non-magical and wizarding world studies classes were an enormous success, closing the divide between the school's students. Coming along years later, Marguerite saw plenty of evidence of that.

Thinking back on that evidence brought to mind the memorial service now exactly one year past. That singular event was a perfect tribute to the wide sweeping changes that the Potter Coven had wrought in a little over one hundred years.

The Ministry of Magic had enlisted the help of the Bureau du Magie and MAC USA to bring in additional staff to coordinate the event. Family, friends, and close business associates had spent a week agonizing over the guest list. A number of people had invited themselves. Many were people who couldn't be denied. Thankfully it was August, so a remote moor in the Hebrides was chosen and warded. Initially the family had thought about using the Manor. When the guest list had reached past 1,000 it was no longer feasible.

In the end, the Potter Coven had been passed for two weeks before a memorial of 12,400 attended on a remote island in the Hebrides. All portkeyed in and out of the heavily warded location that was quite spartan given the status of many of the attendees. Not only was the Queen in attendance, but also nine other European royals, three African princes, three Prime Ministers, five Presidents, and a Pope. As specified by the families, non-magical and magical were not divided and every social status mixed. Marguerite had nearly wept at the beauty of it and knew that her parents were smiling down as she watched Saudi Prince Hassan listen to President Jenkins discuss the role the coven had played many years before in stopping a devastating flood that saved a vital alfalfa crop that was later shipped to Kentucky, where the Prince's father kept his stable of horses. It seemed that the prince had not realized that his father's horses had benefited from the coven's rituals. That was one more note for the book.

As the memorial got underway, others gave their own remembrances from times long past. Marguerite hadn't realized that Mama Tonks' security firm had been hired to augment the Prime Minister's trip during the difficult summer of 2032. Or that the coven had performed an extra protection ritual around the Prime Minister's convoy. She did remember hearing about a bomb attempt and the bomb failing for some unknown reason. Or that was what the media had reported. Now she understood why. People really underestimated the extent of coven magic when used properly.

Next to step forward to say a few words was one of the African princes. His story started when he was a boy of fourteen, a year after he had taken his throne, and he had called on the coven to help with a drought in his country. Since their assistance, his land had never been terribly wet, but it had never suffered terrible drought in the nearly seventy years since.

Next at the podium was a woman who instead spoke specifically about Healer Bones and the Bones Natural Healing Institute. The woman was non-magical and had suffered from a debilitating skin condition that she had been cured of at the institute. Only years later when she had a magical child and learned of the world of magic, did she realize the true origin of her cure. Throughout it all, she had remained friends with Susan, who was relieved when the issue of secrecy was able to be lifted from her friend.

The stories lasted for close to two hours, from people dramatically affected by both the coven or by individual members of the coven. Marguerite had personally known of course how special they all were, but she was in awe by the end of the memorial. Prior to the service she had thought about writing a book, but by the end, she was determined. It would be criminal for future generations not to know all of this, to not have it all compiled together. When she arrived home after her portkey, she wasted no time in starting her task.

Sitting at her table a year later, Marguerite wiped away a tear as she remembered her family, and resumed her task of writing. After an hour, she took a break and went to heat a pot of tea. As she did, she looked out on her garden to the peonies that grew from cuttings taken from the peony garden at the manor. The garden had been a favorite of hers as a child and she had loved to look at pictures from the wedding. Thinking back on those pictures, she thought back on the coven's passing two weeks prior to that amazing memorial. No one had quite anticipated what would happen when one of the coven passed, how the others would carry on.

Surprisingly, it had been Mama Ginny who had taken ill and wasted away quickly over a couple of weeks despite the healers' best efforts. All of her coven mates had laid around her sides while family visited, breezing in and out. While the visitors were acknowledged and welcomed, it was obvious to see that all who mattered were on the bed around the old lady who had just turned 138. She was comfortable at least, the healers made sure of that. Marguerite had not been there when it actually happened. Her sister Meri and brother Cecil, with his wife Anna, had been in attendance and had later provided the memory. It had been amazing to watch. Ginny had been awake for the first time in days, talking to her coven mates about past memories. Then she had gotten a far off look and declared she was tired. Harry had clasped her hand with all the others taking hold as well. Then, as one, they closed their eyes and Ginny exhaled one last breath. When she did, a silvery light encompassed the group and everyone else let out a final breath. The healers had rushed in, but there was nothing to be done. Meri had stopped them from interfering and then collapsed in her brother's arms. The coven had left together, as they wished.

Marguerite sighed at the memory and then her teapot whistled, reminding her that she had writing yet to do. The story of the amazing Potter Coven needed to be told.

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 **And so ends our tale. It took a bit longer than originally planned, as my stories often seem to do. Thank you all for staying with me.**

 **Now if you are looking for something else to read and haven't read it yet, I have completely edited and re-posted my story _A Rainbow Dream._ It is my longest story to date, but one of my least read. Still, it was a labor of love that I put a lot of research into. I fixed a lot of paragraph and grammar errors, as well as some consistency issues that I think help it. As for the reason for it not being popular, I think its because I list only Ginny as the singular character and some people don't like her. That being said, she is completely unique and different in RD and the story is unlike anything else I've read on Fanfiction. Please think about giving it a try if you haven't already. Now I am off to finish Harmony Bound and then resurrect Life's Interlude.**


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